Radical Transformation
by Raphaella
Summary: What would happen if Mikey's wish came true, and the turtles became human? What happens if their problems got worse & they had to go to school? Completed - Improving (chapter 2.)
1. Transformation

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
Note: The turtles are aged 15. This is an old story, which I am improving as I upload.  
  
~  
  
The pizza shop stood open, as it always did, adding its dim lights to the already thousand sparkling ones of New York City. For a little shop, it was popular around the surrounding neighbor hoods, and was always full with people. Mostly it was the same people who came back, got to know the counter boy or girl, and got free anchovies or something like that.  
  
But tonight, for the first time, a strange man walked in, very shifty, and constantly glancing around with his old but alert eyes. He seemed careful not to look too secretive or draw attention, but he still remained aware and attentive more than a man should. He was dressed in a long coat, a large hat and scarf, and only his eyes could be seen. His coat seemed to draw most people's attention, and if they'd seen his long beard and tattooed painted face, then they would have stared at that too. But his coat was long, brownish, and looking like any other trench coat until you saw it in the light, and notice all those pockets and pouches sewn on. There were at least four small Velcro and zip pockets on his right arm; and three slightly bigger ones on his left arm. The rest of the coat was covered too, but they all sat nice and flat against him, with only a slight bulge at the very bottom of most pockets, where they held something small. He looked like a tramp at first glance, so it was lucky no one wanted a second. If they did, they might have seen the face paint around the man's eyes. This man was no ordinary citizen.  
  
He opened the shop door, and walked in like a tramp, only that little bit more suspicious and secretive. Everyone, as he hoped, only glanced at him once before they carried on chatting and eating their meal. He walked up to the counter, ordered a normal plain cheese and tomato pizza in a gruff, deep old voice, and leaned an arm on the counter, waiting. While he was waiting, he checked out the rest of the shop, looking for any of his enemies. He sensed and saw none, and relaxed only slightly. He was a man of great power, and was aware he was carrying enough power in his pockets to be able to melt this city, or do whatever he wanted. All he had to do was spread it, say it, and watch it. But he wasn't a man who would do things like that for himself. He was careful, and full of knowledge. He knew what could happen if this power fell into the wrong hands. And there were all sorts of 'wrong hands' out there searching for him.  
  
_Pizza seems to be taking too long . . ._ He thought to himself. He wasn't impatient; it was just at this moment he didn't feel too sheltered and safe in a shop with people, and with light, even if it was dim. He watched other people collect their ordered pizza, and walk out, holding the door for more people.  
  
He watched as four heavily disguised people in trench coats walked in, hats on and heads down. At once he could tell these were no ordinary people. He knew they weren't human . . .  
  
--  
  
"It's full in here tonight," Leonardo observed, as he and his brothers followed Michelangelo to the counter, asking politely to an old, wrapped-up-well man, whose face they couldn't see, to excuse them so they could get past him and another man sitting in a chair, talking too loudly to hear them even if they said it right in his ear.  
  
The old man moved aside, but they couldn't see his face, and he didn't say anything.  
  
"Hey," Mikey greeted the boy behind the counter. "Mikey Tee picking up a pizza I ordered."  
  
The boy nodded and dashed off to find their pizza. While he was gone, Leo looked through the tables of people, in case for some reason, any were staring at them. He was always careful. The man next to them, the man dressed a lot like they were was the only one Leo sensed something strange and different about. But if the guy didn't do anything funny, then Leo would mind his own business.  
  
"One pizza for Mikey Tee," said a voice, and they all turned back to see the boy had a box in his hand. He placed it on the counter and Mikey opened it.  
  
"Hey, dude," he said, frowning. "This pizza has anchovies. I said NO anchovies."  
  
The boy shrugged. "Sorry, I'll get rid of them." While he took the pizza back, an argument had started between two men on the table in front of them all. They were quite loud, and the woman that was with them kept hissing at them to be quiet. But they paid no attention, and one man stood up suddenly; the other man followed.  
  
Leo tensed in case it turned nasty, but before he could do anything, the boy announced that the pizza was right and ready, and they all turned around to see him push the box back onto the counter.  
  
Mikey opened the box and looked at the anchovy-free pizza, but while he had done that, the second man of the fight had walked over to the other and a scrap had started. The man who stood up first was pushed, lost his balance and fell into the man with the many pockets in his coat.  
  
The old, heavily disguised human stumbled into Mikey, but caught the counter just as he was falling. Without noticing, one of his pockets on the coat arm was ripped open, and the contents spilled into the open box with the pizza inside.  
  
"Hey! You guys wanna fight then take it outside or I'll call the cops for public disturbance!" The manager and main cook of the place yelled at the two men.  
  
Both men stormed out, glaring daggers with the woman following and shrieking at them. All the customers watched them leave, then the babble broke out again and everyone carried on with their conversations.  
  
"Sorry," the old man in the coat grunted to Mikey, who was picking himself off the floor.  
  
"No problem," Mikey replied, shutting the box lid and picking it up. He gave the money to the boy behind the counter, and they all left.  
  
A few seconds later the old man's pizza arrived, with apologies for the delay, and was paid for. The man took it and made his way to the door, but before he opened it, he caught a glimpse of his coat sleeve as he put his hand on the door handle. One of his pockets were open, and he could only guess that the powder had fallen out . . . right onto the pizza of the strange kid dressed in the trench coat . . .  
  
//  
  
"Can you believe he put anchovies on it?" Mikey grumbled as they walked from the half busy street into the alleyway opposite the small put popular pizza shop.  
  
"Gee Mike, everyone makes mistakes," Donny said wisely.  
  
"Except you," Mikey grinned mockingly at him.  
  
Donny shrugged and smiled.  
  
"Hey Mikey, you gonna open that pizza?" Raph asked. "I'm starving."  
  
"No, we'll eat it at home," Leo said.  
  
"Ah, c'mon, I'm starved! Anyway, we took the long route and it'll be cold by the time we get back . . ." Raph argued. "Why did we take this route anyway? It's way longer." .  
  
"Yeah, Raph has a point, I'm with him," Mikey said, holding out the pizza, with one hand on the lid ready to open it.  
  
"You're with anyone who votes to eat pizza first," Donny said. "But Raph does have a point. I say we eat some of it now, some later when we get in. This part of town is pretty new. I don't know it that well."  
  
"Fine! Okay, Mikey. You can eat your pizza," Leo gave in with a sigh and a small smile. An argument about pizza could go anywhere, and forever.  
  
"But you'll have some too, right?" As much as he wanted to eat most of it, Mikey felt his brother needed something to eat as well. It had been a long day, and they had eaten only a small something in the afternoon.  
  
"Sure I am, I'm not gonna let you three hog it all."  
  
Mikey laughed, and opened up the box. The steam wafted from the pizza as the air whooshed from the open box, then it rose into the air, finding its way to all their noses.  
  
"Why _have_ we gone this way?" Raph asked again. This part was, like Donny, new to him, and he got out more times than his brothers. It was quite far from the lair than they would normally go.  
  
"Because Mikey wanted to go to that new pizza shop," Leo said, taking the slice from Mikey, who was handing it to him. "Anyway, it's nice to get out of the sewer and into fresh air for once."  
  
Raph took his own slice as Mikey was handing Donny one. They were all starving, and ate the pizza with no words in-between. Leo was actually glad he had given up on the argument. He was famished. He had tucked it away in only a minute. Mikey, on the other hand, had finished his in a few seconds. But neither of his brothers were surprised. When Mikey was hungry, nothing could stop him from eating once he had food in his hand, and he always scoffed it quickly.  
  
"Was that me or was there a slightly different taste to that?" Mikey asked, licking his fingers.  
  
His brother shrugged, feeling a whole lot better now they had something inside them. Splinter hadn't eaten for a while, so they were saving him some. But the rat didn't eat, or need, as much food as his sons did.  
  
As they walked down the dark, and slightly bigger alleyway than most, they all started to talk about the men who had been fighting in the pizza shop.  
  
"Yeah, but did you here what they was talking about?" Mikey asked his brothers, looking sideways at them.  
  
"Yeah, one of them was on about how the other was taking his girlfriend away, and how he was too ugly to deserve her," Donny said, shrugging.  
  
"Yeah, I mean, humans accuse other people of so many things, and then they go and say things about others' appearance," Mikey spoke on. "I mean, they should be lucky they get to have friends to fight with . . . I mean, I've heard worse, but they shouldn't judge people by looks and things like that . . ."  
  
"I think Mikey's getting all sensitive on us," Raph muttered behind his hand to Leo, who chuckled.  
  
"No, just humans don't know how lucky they are," Mikey explained. "They get to do so many things we don't. But guys, wouldn't it just be totally cool if we could spend days like that? Where we could live normal, and be able to do normal things?"  
  
"It would, really, Mikey. But don't dream on what you want, that slows you down. Just put up with who and what you are." Leo told him, talking across Raph and Donny to his brother in orange at the end of their brother line.  
  
Raph rolled his eyes to Donny, who smiled.  
  
"Yeah . . . But it's just not fair . . ." Mikey said slowly. "I just wish . . . I wish we could be human, and spend days like human kids our own age do . . ."  
  
Leo shook his head. Mikey would get over this quickly. He would change the topic in a minute.  
  
"Hey, isn't that the Foot?"  
  
_Yep, there he went. Changed the topic quickly, just as I though - The Foot?!_ Leo directed his eyes to where Mikey was looking. Down the other end of the alleyway were about a dozen Foot members rushing towards them.  
  
"Yeah, looks like them," Raph said casually. He frowned suddenly. He felt cold for some reason. A chill ran down his spine, and his coat seemed looser on him; also he had a tickly feeling at the back of his neck. He pushed this out of his mind and concentrated on the Foot, which had now reached and started to attack Leo. Raph ran to meet them.  
  
Donny, also feeling colder than usual, reached for his Bo Staff from his shell, but found it seemed to be in a different place on his back. _Damn,_ he'd have to adjust the strap when he got home.   
  
His Bo clashed with another from the Foot, and just as he was about to whack him, loud police car sirens went off in the street beyond the alleyway.  
  
Everyone froze for a split second, then it was a rush and forget-about-the-enemy dash to vanish. But as Donny made towards the shadows, the Foot member he had been fighting with tripped him up in his haste. Donny fell and his hat flew off.  
  
Everyone now froze for another few seconds, staring at Don, who was puzzled as to why his brothers were staring at him in horror and shocked surprise.  
  
Donny groped for his hat, but stopped dead as he caught sight of his hand in the dim light. It wasn't green . . . and he had five fingers . . .  
  
His brothers unfroze, and so did the Foot, who scampered away. Leo, Raph and Mikey made their way to Donny quickly, because the police who had gotten out their cars had made their way into the alley, talking into radios. They obviously had not seen them yet.   
  
Donny's brothers moved towards him as though he had just done something his brothers would never have believed. In a few seconds they had pulled Donny to his feet, which he stumbled on for some reason, and dragged him into the shadows, where they all breathed hard.  
  
"What's wrong with you guys?" Donny demanded in a whisper.  
  
They stared at him in a line of three behind a dumpster, and pointed at him, silently shocked.  
  
Donny frowned, and brought up his hands to feel his face, but stopped when he saw them again. He had hoped it was the trick of the light back there; but no. He could see them clearly now, even though the light was poor. He had light colored hands . . . not green . . . and he had five fingers. He even had a pinkie. Don didn't even want to feel his face. Coldness swept over him again, and he looked down to his feet, and gasped. He had five toes. And no wonder he was cold . . . he was bare.  
  
Donny, shocked to a point where he could have ran and ran, looked up, slowly reached over and took Leo's hat off. Donny gasped, and so did Raph and Mikey.  
  
Instead of a green, smooth head, under Leo's hat was a mess of dark, sandy colored hair, that stuck up in a scruffy and spiky manner. His bandana was around his forehead, and was half covered by his hair; the eye holes had disappeared in the folds. His face, the rest of his face shocked his brothers just as much. He had a visible nose - lips - visible ears . . . but the same eyes. And he had teenage shaped face. He was human.  
  
Leo looked at his hands, taking in the five fingers and the light color of them. This was too strange.  
  
Mikey brought up his own hands quickly and studied them. They were exactly like Leo and Donny's. And now, Mikey could see that Donny and Leo both looked the same - well, apart from LOOKING human, they also had the same features, what humans would call twins. Mikey stared. He couldn't believe it . . .  
  
To Raph, this was all too weird. He stared at his brothers, and at Mikey as his brother removed his hat and let Leo and Donny stare at him. All three looked completely identical.  
  
Suddenly the police at the other end of the alley decided to end the conversations on the radios, and started to walk towards the teenage brothers, with their flashlights.  
  
Too spooked and freaked about their appearances, and panicked about being found by the police, the four guys ran from their shadows, making for the other end of the alley where it led out on to a well used street. It was nighttime, but still there were the odd few cars that would drive down.  
  
"Stop!" One of the police officers shouted. It was the voice of a woman, and she and her partner started to run after them.  
  
Leo, Donny, Mikey and Raph reached the end of the alleyway and ran out onto the street. They looked about madly for a manhole, and spotted one across the street. Around it where a few barriers, as someone was obviously doing work on it, but the guys didn't even register this, and ran flat out towards it.  
  
But they didn't see the truck speeding towards them, and only looked up into the blazing lights as its horn blared through the street. Before they knew anything, they were hit with such force it lifted them off their feet. They were thrown into the air, landing twelve meters away from the braking truck. They lay still. None moved.  
  
The driver of the truck jumped out his door and ran, with the police, to the four boys who had been knocked down.  
  
"God, oh God, I'm sorry, they ran right out in front of me!" The man cried to the police.  
  
The woman and her male partner bent down over the kids. While he was on the phone for an ambulance, she checked them over.  
  
"It's okay, it wasn't your fault. We were chasing them," the policewoman said. "But they're bleeding badly . . . They need medical assistance immediately."


	2. Problems

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
 The hospital was busy the next morning. The doctors and nurses all had something to do, and all the staff had heard of the quadruplets that had been brought in last night. It was quite rare to encounter four teenage boys who look exactly the same.  
  
One female doctor, by the name of Dr Hera, took their safety into her own hands, along with her fellow doctor friend, Dr Bruine. He was her good friend, and last night when the boys had been brought in by the police, he had helped patch up two, as the kids needed help pretty urgently. 

The report was that they had been knocked down by a truck. That certainly looked to be the case. Dr Hera noticed a bloodied graze on one of the boy's forehead; another had suffered a blow to the temple; a third had a nasty gnash down his arm, and the last one had a deep long slice down his leg. The thing that made Hera suspicious was that all four boys had come in naked, wearing nothing except colored bandannas around their foreheads. Dr Bruine had fetched a spare load of clothes from the hospital laundry basket, and clothed them.  
  
Now evening in the day after the accident, Dr Hera walked down the corridor, having just had her lunch. The quads hadn't woken once since they'd been there, and Dr Hera was a little unsure whether the one with the blow to the temple had suffered concussion. She walked round the Third Floor corridor and into the room holding her four patients. Dr Bruine was already inside, checking the hydration IV on one of the boys.  
  
"Hey," she said, greeting her friend. "Found anything yet?"  
  
Bruine shook his shorthaired head. "Nope. No one has reported four missing quadruplets, and the kids have no ID on them."  
  
Dr Hera walked over to the nearest bed and checked her patient. "Hopefully someone will notice they're gone, or word'll get around from the hospital that there are quadruplets here. There're a lotta loud mouths in the hospital, gossip spreads."  
  
Bruine chuckled and unhooked one of the kids from the IV drip.  
  
"How many stitches did those two take?" Bruine asked, pointing to two kids.  
  
"Well, the arm injury needed twenty," she said while bending over the nearest bed to the door, and looking at the kid with a purple bandanna. "And the leg wound took twenty seven," she motioned with her head to the kid wearing the red bandana.  
  
"Quads are pretty unusual," Bruine said, unwrapping the bandages on the arm injury. "Wonder where're they're from. I'm sure we might've heard _something_ if they were from around here." He started to replace them, wincing at the inflamed tissue surrounding the stitched wound underneath.  
  
"Yeah." Hera agreed, replacing a butterfly gauze bandage on the forehead of the nearest kid with a clean one.  
  
They both looked up as the kid at the end or the room stirred and moaned. The doctors gave each other a look. Finally, they should be able to get some answers.  
  
Mikey returned to the land of consciousness, and was greeted by pain, which hit him like a blow from a hammer. He didn't want to open his sore eyes, but he had to. Memories came flooding back to him of a loud noise, and sudden brightness blurring his vision. He was hit by that truck – he remembered being lifted off his feet. Where was he? Where were his brothers? Mikey slowly opened his eyelids, and a white ceiling blued into view. His sense of smell picked up a strange scent, one that smelt like disinfectant. It reminded him of hospitals, so maybe April was tending to them. She knew how to treat wounds better than he did.  
  
"Hey," a feminine voice called out. "Hey kid, can you hear me?"

That wasn't April, she wouldn't have called Mikey 'kid', and her tone is a little softer than that. Mike frowned, still staring ahead. And their home didn't have a white ceiling.  
  
Mikey turned his head and saw an unfamiliar woman watching him. He could see she had middle length blond hair pulled back, and average features. Definitely not April.

 She walked over to him, and for a moment Mikey didn't know what to do, whether he should bolt for the door or stay and see what she's does. It was clear to him now that he _was_ in a hospital, from the looks of her cloths, the smell and the room. How Mike _hated_ hospitals and the very thought of being in one. When the woman reached his bed he decided he didn't want to find out what she could do to him, and started to scuttled back like a frightened child.  
  
"Hey, whoa, it's alright kid." Hera told him, hands held up in a peace gesture. "I wouldn't try walking just yet, you still have a healing wound on your head."  
  
Mikey stopped and stared at her. Why wasn't she freaking out at the sight of him? Forget that, what had she _done_ to him in the time he had been unconscious? His head throbbed painfully where he guessed he had received an injury. But why had he been transported to a hospital? Then a thought hit Mikey.  
  
"Am I . . ." he raised both his hands and stared at the backs of them. " . . . human?"  
  
Hera frowned, but a smile played on her lips. "Yes you are," she said slowly, turning to Bruine and giving him a look. She looked back at Mike. "You may be a little disorientated after your accident."  
  
"Who are you?" Mikey asked, running his hand through his hair and studying his feet. He looked down at himself and noticed the white hospital garments, which he plucked experimentally.  
  
"I'm Dr Hera. "This is Dr Bruine –" she gestured to the male doctor, who Mikey saw for the first time. "You're in hospital," Hera told him. "Can you remember what happened?"  
  
Mikey frowned. What happened? This was all too strange for him, his brain was trying to concentrate of the wild fact that he was human. But he did remember what had happened last night.  
  
"Yeah . . ." he said slowly. "I was running across the street with my brothers . . . and we didn't see the truck . . . It hit us and that's when I blacked out." He looked to his left at his brothers, who were still laid on their backs, unconscious. "Are they alright?" Mikey asked in a whisper, he was shocked to see three identical teenagers on the beds next to his. Mikey couldn't believe it.  
  
"Yes. Your brothers will be just fine. Though we expected you to wake up last," Bruine said.  
  
"What are your names?" Hera asked, finding it a nice relief to get some answers.  
  
Mikey hesitated. "I'm Mikey . . . he's, er –" he looked at the very end bed and saw the familiar blue bandana. "He's Leo, he's Ra – Donny, and he's Raph."  
  
Hera took a mental note of the names and looked at them suspiciously. She had heard those names before, but where she couldn't remember where.  
  
"Do you have any family we can contact?" Bruine asked.  
  
But Mikey didn't answer as Donny and Raph were waking. They both stirred, and Raph grunted as he turned his head and opened his eyes.  
  
"Whoa!" Raph saw Mikey, then Hera and Bruine. He jumped out of bed, but still weak and dozy from the accident, fell onto the floor, grunting in pain as he landed on his leg.  
  
"No, Raph, it's okay," Mikey said quickly, as Hera rushed over to help him up.  
  
He allowed her to, but his expression showed the confusion and bewilderment Mikey felt.  
  
Donny groaned and propped himself up on his elbows, looking at the situation. He saw Mikey, then Raph.  
  
"What the . . .?" Donny asked. His arm killed with pain, so he took his weight off it and looked at the bandaged covering his whole upper arm.  
  
"It's okay, guys," Mikey said. "We're in hospital after we were knocked down by that truck."  
  
Raph, who was back in bed and wincing, frowned and studied his brothers. Donny studied himself too, checking out the material that clothed him.  
  
It was at that point when Leo awoke with an involuntary sigh, and opened his eyes. He stared at the ceiling for a second or two, before deciding it wasn't a home ceiling, and turned his head. He saw three triplets looking at themselves, and frowned. Mikey saw him mouth the words, '_what_ _the_ _hell_?'  
  
"Okay, you're all awake now," Hera said, drawing all of their attention to her. "So can you tell me why you were running? The police seem to think you were making a noise and disturbing the surrounding buildings."  
  
All four brothers stared at each other for a long time, totally confused and unready to start thinking too deeply.  
  
"Well?" Hera asked.  
  
"There were these other people making the noise . . ." Leo said slowly, throwing uncertain looks at his brothers. "They were . . . threatening us, so we hid, and ran when the police came . . ."  
  
His brothers began to nod, though their eyes flickered from the doctor to the brother as though afraid she wouldn't believe them.  
  
"Oh. Okay, I'll tell the police that. They were going to stay, but had to leave. Do you have any family we can contact? No one has reported you missing yet."  
  
Leo, Donny, Raph and Mikey all looked at each other. They couldn't say Master Splinter. That wouldn't be wise. Instead Donny looked back at Hera and spoke.  
  
"April O'Neil," he said.  
  
"The news lady?" Hera looked at them, raising her eyebrows slightly. "Are you sure?"  
  
They all nodded.  
  
"Fine, I'll contact her then." Hera walked to and opened the door. "You lot get some rest, and don't go anywhere." Then she exited.  
  
"How long have we been here?" Donny asked Bruine, who was jotting something down on one of the bed clipboards.  
  
"Oh don't worry, you were only knocked out yesterday night." He answered. "Can I ask why you were out in the street with no clothes on?"  
  
They all looked at each other quickly, but before they could answer, someone popped their head through the door.  
  
"Hey, Bruine, could I talk to you?" The man asked.  
  
"Sure," Bruine said. He put the clipboard back and left the four brothers to themselves.  
  
As soon as the door closed, they all looked back at each other again, staring and examining their brothers' faces.  
  
"This is just . . . too weird . . ." Donny said softly, looking at himself in the mirror on the back of the door Bruine had taken. There was a touch of fascination in his voice.  
  
"What the hell happened to us?" Raph said quietly, amazed. He looked at the bandage wrapped around his wounded leg, wondering how much damage had been done to it.  
  
"Me . . ." Mikey whispered, staring at the bed covers at the bottom of his bed. "I wished . . . I wished for us to be human . . ."  
  
They all fell silence and stared at Mikey. Raph shook his head.  
  
"Wishes come true in fairytales, this is real life. How could your wish have come true?" He demanded.  
  
"I have no idea how, but I know that it's come true, and we're human." Donny stated, staring at the white walls.  
  
"Can he wish us back?" Leo asked, blinking against the throbbing ache in his head.  
  
"Probably not," Donny said. "I mean, it's always like that in the movies. It turns out that the wishes you make by mistake come true, but the ones you say deliberately don't. Maybe Mikey only had that one time . . ."  
  
Leo lowered his eyes to the floor in thought.  
  
"Even if I could," Mikey said. "Would you want to?" He wasn't smiling, but there was a small trace of hope in his voice.  
  
Before Leo or his brothers could answer, the door was opened by Hera. She walked in and over to the end of Leo's bed.  
  
"Okay, I called Miss O'Neil, I said you were here and she's on her way," Hera told them. "She sounded _very_ worried.  
  
They looked at each other nervously. How would April react to their current appearance? They were still getting over the shock themselves.  
  
"Thanks," Leo murmured weakly.  
  
"Where are you guys from?" Hera asked, leaning on Leo's bed. "I mean, I would have heard it if there were quadruplets in this part of town. You from around here?" The fact that they were quads didn't help their situation. Four identical boys were bound to attract some attention, and that's one thing they didn't want.  
  
"Er . . . no," Mikey said, glancing at his brothers. "Are you?" Mikey asked to take her away from asking them, again, where they came from.  
  
Hera smiled. "'Course I am, I work here."  
  
Mikey managed a small smile. It was the first any of them had made, and somehow it actually looked like a Mikey smile.  
  
"Hey, d' we get TV up here?" Mikey noticed the television set in the corner of the room, sitting on a bracket on the wall.  
  
"Yeah, most of the rooms up here do," Hera said. She walked over to the TV, and pulled down the remote that was on the top, she tossed it to Mikey, and he put the TV on.  
  
"How long do we have to stay here for?" Donny asked as sound filled the room from the small television set.  
  
"Well, you seem to be recovering fast, and I would have kept you in for another day so we can properly clean and redress your injuries."  
  
"Aw c'mon," Mikey turned from the screen. "We're fine. We've put up with worse injuries than this before. I mean, Raph got knocked through a skylight once -" He shut up at Leo's expression.  
  
"A skylight?" Hera looked at him, then at Leo.  
  
"He's joking," Leo lied. "He's a prankster. The joker of the group"  
  
Hera smiled and folded her arms. "And you're the . . . Big Brother figure?"

 Leo paused for a second before he allowed himself a smile. "Yeah."

Hear returned the smile. _Why had he seemed hesitant?_ It was as if she had just caught on to a secret. These kids sure were acting a little strange. Hera looked at the other two kids.

"And you are . . . what of the group?" She asked Donny.  
  
"He's the brain," Mikey said, giving Don a small smirk. "The smarts of us tu – er – quads."

"Oh Yeah?" Hera asked, sounding interested. "What things are you smart at, Donny?"

Don glanced at Mike, with a small, almost grim smile on his face. "When he says smart, he means smarter than him, which isn't exactly a genius." He didn't feel like boasting. In fact he felt a little sick. He gave his brother another look, before blinking and turning his gaze to the TV. Mike glanced at Leo with an identical smile to that of Don's, though his for another reason. They were just too confused about this.

Hera noticed this, and watched them. They certainly were acting strange, as though something had happened recently and they hadn't, or wouldn't, let it go, nor did they want to share it. They also gave her the impression they were holding a great burden inside that was perhaps too big for them, but had no choice than to take it.   
  
Bruine walked in at that moment with a tray in hand, breaking the silence that had fallen over them. The tray held food, and a look at this made the guys realize they were famished.  
  
"Here ya go, guys," Bruine said. He set it down on Donny's bed, then turned to Hera as the quads stared at the tray. None felt like eating, but their stomachs were now aching with hunger.  
  
"There's a woman here who's just arrived, said you called her about four teenagers," Bruine smiled. The quads looked up at him. "She seemed very worried."  
  
"Okay, thanks, Bruine." Hera said and made her way to the door. "I'll be right back," and then she disappeared through the door.  
  
"You can eat you know," Bruine said to the four boys, who had stared at the departure of the doctor.  
  
"Not hungry," Raph muttered. His expression alone told his brother he too felt sick.  
  
"C'mon, you haven't eaten since yesterday," Bruine frowned at them. "You're got to eat, doctors orders. Recovery takes strength, and you've gotta get that back somehow."  
  
Leo and Donny took a slice of melon from the tray, and after a few seconds hesitation, Raph caught the apple Leo tossed to him.  
  
A few minutes later, in which little conversation took place, the door was pushed open again and Hera walked in, followed by April O'Neil.  
  
"Here they are," Hera said, smiling around Bruine who was leaving, and motioning to the quads. They stopped eating at once and stared.  
  
April glanced at them with a growing frown, then turned back to Hera.  
  
"Sorry, you said you had my nephews?" She asked.  
  
The four boys looked at each other quickly, thinking fast. She hadn't even looked at them properly to notice their bandanas.  
  
"April," Leo spoke up, and she turned around. He looked into her face, praying she would at least notice his eyes or bandana. She merely stared back with no change of expression. ". . . Hi . . ." Leo said, smiling timidly.  
  
April frowned at the familiar voice. Her eyes raked every detail of his face until they reached his eyes, where they stopped. Those blue eyes were Leo's; she knew his eyes. But what were they doing on this kid? Her gaze noticed the blue bandanna just above them. April felt her lips part as her mouth opened. She gawked.  
  
"Leo . . .?" She asked in a loud whisper.  
  
He half smiled half grimaced, feeling a little embarrassed under the stare. His brothers were glancing from him to April.  
  
"Surprise," Mikey said softly, and April's eyes turned to him.  
  
She stared. They all looked the same, yet different slightly. Everything about them was different, except their eyes. Their bandannas were tied around their foreheads, half buried under messy, sandy colored hair. April couldn't believe it. Were these kids really her best friends?  
  
"Is there something wrong?"  
  
Hera's voice snapped her out of her trance. She looked up at the doctor behind her, who was frowning at her strange reaction.  
  
"Oh, no, no" She said, shaking her head and adopting a different expression. "I just haven't seen them in so long, I was, heh, expecting them to look different. They've always been . . . chunky." April nodded.  
  
Hera smiled at her, but there was the smallest trace of suspicion in her eyes. "Well, I can _definitely_ say that they are pretty healthy, and in, um, good shape."

The boys cast glances down at their teenage muscular arms, and side-looked each other.  
  
A beeping sound caught everyone's attention, and Hera reached down to her belt and exposed a little pager to view. "I have to disappear for a few minutes." She told them, and exited.  
  
"What . . . _happened_ to you guys?" April said slowly, sitting down on Mikey's bed, and staring at his face.  
  
"We don't know," Leo said, frowning at the floor.  
  
"Well, when did this happen?" April asked, turning to him.  
  
"Last night."  
  
"And, how did you get here?" April continued her questions in a slightly higher volume.  
  
"Yo, April, chill, we'll explain," Mikey said softly.  
  
"Sorry, guys," She apologized. "It's just pretty . . . _miraculous_."  
  
"Yeah," Leo muttered. He was more worried than he was excited.  
  
As Leo began explaining what happened last night, he noticed April's eyes scanning his face, and glancing at his brothers'. He knew she was trying to find something from their features that might distinguish them from each other. But apart from their eyes, nothing looked different; that was, if you didn't stare too long. Leo had barely noticed Raph had freckles flecked over his face.  
  
When he had finished explaining, he sat back with a yawn as April watched him.  
  
"But . . . it's just so strange," she said at last, after the long seconds' silence.  
  
"Tell me about it," Leo said. He felt exhausted all of a sudden, as though he hadn't had any sleep in days. "We have to -" he stifled another yawn, "- get back to Master Splinter . . . he'll be worrying sick about us . . . and he'll have a shock when he sees us . . ."  
  
"But you can't go anywhere," April said. "At least not today. I can phone him, I'll just tell him you guys are recovering at my apartment." She paused and glanced at them all. "And, guys? Another problem has come up," she added.  
  
They all looked at her, waiting for her to continue.  
  
"There's been a problem with a pipe line, and most of the manholes around the lair have been blocked off because of the work that's being done on them. I don't think Splinter will have water for a while either."  
  
They all groaned. Leo laid back down, looking totally wiped out. It was only Mikey who seemed just as tired as he was from the looks of his drooping eyelids.  
  
The door opened, snatching everyone's attention, and Dr Hera came back in. Following her was a police officer, with black hair and a short goatee.  
  
"Hi again," Hera said, closing the door too after the man. "This is Officer Wood. He wanted to ask you about the people who were threatening you."  
  
The guys all looked at the face of the cop, feeling an urge to run. Cops were easy to outrun if ever they had to do so, but right now there was no way out.  
  
"Did any of you get a description of the people who attacked you?" The cop asked, as he glanced at them all, raising an eyebrow.  
  
"Not really, they were all dressed in black," Leo said carefully. "We couldn't see anything else."  
  
"Do you know _why_ they attacked you? You don't know anyone who threatens you?" the cop pressed.

The boy shook their heads, hoping the cop would just leave. Unfortunately he remained where he was standing, and continued to ask them questions. The answered short and quick, praying he'd leave. April glanced about giving them nervous frowns.

Finally Wood turned to the door, about to leave, but turned back. "I'd like to take down your contact details in case I might want to question you further." He brought out a small notepad from his inside jacket pocket, and a pen. "Address?" He asked, looking at the nearest kid.  
  
Leo stared back.  
  
"You know, the place where you live," the cop said.  
  
Again he was given a blank look from all of them.  
  
April stepped forward. "They're staying with me. They're visiting from LA as their - er - foster parents are on work time for a few months. They're my nephews." April walked over to Wood and gave the cop her address.  
  
"What's you're school address?" The man asked.  
  
"Er . . . school? Erm, what, you want the one back in LA?. . ." Leo said quietly.  
  
"You're not attending any school here? Well, sorry, but you don't get months off just because you're parents are working. You'll still need to carry out your education here. I'll get you checked in to the nearest school to your aunt's home. You'll attend it until you leave here, understood?"  
  
"What?" Mikey choked.  
  
"If you're staying here for as long as a few months, you still have to attend school. Unless you're the kind who skive. You look it you know, with the bandannas. Well, I'll make sure you can get placed in the high school near here. You'll attend that until you go back home. Months are a long time to miss out on precious school time, kids." He looked up to April. "I'll drop in to give you information about the school, it's good. They should start in a few days, if they're well enough." With that, he and Hera left the room.  
  
Leo, Donny, Raph and Mikey all turned and stared, mouths open, at each other.  
  
"Go to school?!" Raph said. "School? Human school?! Work school?! What is he, crazy?!"  
  
"He doesn't know about us Raph," Leo reminded his brother. "But this is bad. We can't go to school! I mean, he's practically forcing us to go!"  
  
"It's the law, Leo," April said. "All kids have to go to school."  
  
"But, can't we get back down to the sewers?" Mikey asked.  
  
"No, you can't be risked seen going down the manholes." April shook her head. "I looked up on the problem, and there's also an extra bit: The police seem to think that these people have been using the sewers to escape from crime scenes and using it as their hideout. There has been a lot of robbery in the last week. The police will be keeping an eye on all manholes, and with the men working on it you'll never get down there without being seen."  
  
They all looked so forlorn.  
  
"I hope Splinter'll be alright . . ." Mikey said miserably. But it wasn't true misery in his voice. April knew he was thrilled to be in the form he was in now. But they had no idea about what happened. They could turn back at any time, or maybe they won't . . . April didn't think about that. But she had a horrible feeling that she wouldn't be able to keep the guys from being force to go to school . . .  
  
~


	3. Clothes and Home

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The hospital woke slowly, as the morning announced with a warm ray of sunshine through the windows.  
  
It was the next morning, and the room in which the guys were in hadn't stirred yet. They were still sleeping, and didn't move when Hera came in. But she walked over to the closed curtains and drew them back. The bright sun shone through and now all of them groaned and tried to turn away from the light that shone through their eyelids.  
  
"Wake up, sleepy heads!" Hera called walking back over and folding her arms in front of their beds.  
  
"Sleep . . ." Mikey moaned.  
  
"Oh, so you'd rather stay here than go home with your aunt?"  
  
"Our aunt?" Mikey sat up and frowned.  
  
"Must be too early in the morning for you, but you know, April O'Neil? Your aunt," Hera smiled. "She's taking you home today, should be arriving soon. She's brought you some better clothes to put on as well."  
  
"Clothes?" Mikey frowned again, but then realised he was human. It was still a little difficult to get the hang on.  
  
"Wow, you really aren't a morning person, are you?" Hera smiled. "You want breakfast before she gets here, or are you going to wait till you get home?"  
  
"Home," they all said together.  
  
The doctor laughed, and walked over to Donnie.  
  
"How's that arm feeling?" She asked him.  
  
"Painful," he replied, and winced as she felt along it.  
  
"Yeah, will be for a few days, same with your leg," she said to Raph, who was laying on his stomach, cheek flattened against the pillow, refusing to get up like his brothers. Hera turned back to Donnie. "I'll redress it, and the stitches need to come out at the end of the week, okay? Good." She moved away from him to look in the cupboards on the far wall. She came back with fresh bandages, and was just unwrapping the first when April walked in.  
  
"Morning guys," she said, and greeted Hera. April still had to stop herself from staring. She would get used to it soon. She threw a rucksack to Mikey.  
  
"Clothes," she said, as Mikey frowned at the bag. She laughed inside her head, as she joked to herself about these guys needing help putting clothes on.  
  
Hera finished dressing Donnie arm, and started on Raph's leg, who took it out of her reach.  
  
"I just want to redress it, that's all," Hera said, rising her hands to show the bandage rolls.  
  
Raph let her redress his lower leg, and then she went to the door.  
  
"I'll leave you to get dress. I'll be back in five minutes." Hera left.  
  
"I'll leave you as well," April said. "Or do you want me to just turn around?" She smiled. "In case you need assistance getting dressed."  
  
They laughed sarcastically at her, and said she could turn around while they pulled on a pair of clean clothes: Underwear (which was strange!), blue and black jeans, and a coloured, baggy top that matched their colours. Leo's blue, Mikey's orange, Raph's red and Donnie's purple. Raph and Mikey got the black jeans, Leo and Donnie the blue.  
  
They said April could turn back around, and she did do, smiling at them. They embarrassedly looked anywhere but at themselves and at her.  
  
"Hey, guys, you look cute, the girls will really go for you!" April said.  
  
"Don't rub it in," Raph growled, hands in his pockets.  
  
"Our life has just turned upside down in a somersault," Donnie said, plucking his jeans. "We can't go to school . . ."  
  
"I know, but you can't say that to the cop," April said. "I'm sorry, but until we can find a way to change you back, you're just going to have to put up with it."  
  
"But what if we change back in the middle of school?" Mikey asked. "We'd have to run outta there pretty quickly."  
  
"What if we don't change back at all?" Leo voiced the question that had been worrying him. But should he worry?  
  
"Hey, guys, I don't know any more than you do, but let's hope everything goes well and turns out well at the end of this." April smiled and sat down on Mikey's bed. "The thing that should be worrying you the most, is are you all going to be smothered in girls when you arrive in school?" She laughed, while the guys blushed.  
  
Hera walked back in, and smiled at them being dressed.  
  
"Okay guys, you're free to go, but I just need to take down a few details, and you two will be back here at the end of the week to have those stitches out," she added to Donnie and Raph.  
  
They followed her out of the room, after she had asked Raph if he wanted crutches for his leg and he almost shouted 'no'. They still felt funny walking on five-toed feet. And they felt so much lighter on their backs. No shell, and it felt like something had just been amputated. Leo helped Raph walk, as his brother was limping pretty bad, but he refused anything for it.  
  
They got to the very bottom floor of the hospital and followed Hera to the very front of the hospital where the counter was, and the waiting visitors.  
  
Hera asked the lady at the counter to pass her a form, and then she turned back to the guys and asked them their age, and things like that. Then she writ the name of the school they should be going to, which the cop had recommended. They didn't catch the whole name, but they just heard '-la High'. Then she put the form in her pigeonhole, asked Raph once more if he wanted crutches, and when shouted at, smiled and said goodbye to them as they finally walked out the door.  
  
"We're out . . ." Donnie said. "And no one screamed at us when we went by . . . How weird does that feel?"  
  
"Well they did stare at us," Mikey said.  
  
"Well yeah, how many quadruplets do you get to see in a lifetime," April joked. "C'mon, let's get you all to the car so Raph doesn't drop in pain, I'm surprised they let you and Donnie out."  
  
They walked across the parking lot, feeling way too strange and aware people were still looking at them, and over to April's car. She unlocked it and they all got in, Raph in the front so he could stretch his leg out and not be cramped by his brothers, who squished up in the back.  
  
She drove them home, and all the while they were in the car, they stared out the window watching the world of daytime. They had never really seen people active in the day without having to hide. But they felt so strange. They didn't have to duck, turn away, hide, run; they just sat.  
  
When they reached April's apartment, they had to stop themselves from going over to the ladder that led up to the building roof. They didn't need to climb it in fear of being seen. So they followed her through the building, up the stairs and into her apartment.  
  
"Make yourselves at home, not that you never do," April smiled. "And I'll make you guys some breakfast."  
  
They all stared at each other. For once in her apartment, they felt strange.  
  
"Sit down then," April said. "Raph can take some weight off that leg."  
  
Leo helped Raph onto the couch, and he sat down next to him, while Mikey sat on the other side of Raph, and Donnie sat in the armchair that Splinter always vacates.  
  
"April, can we phone Splinter?" Leo asked.  
  
"Sure, go ahead."  
  
Leo got up and went over to the phone. He knelt down and dialled their number, letting it ring. It ran for ages, but was not picked up. Leo finally put the phone down.  
  
"He's not picking up," Leo said, sounding worried.  
  
"Maybe he's out looking for us," Mikey suggested.  
  
"He'll be fine, Leo," Donnie reassured. "Splinter can look after himself, I mean, he taught us."  
  
"Yeah," Leo agreed. Master Splinter was capable, but Leo always worried. It was in his nature to worry when things seemed different or wrong.  
  
April brought over their breakfast, and they hungrily ate it, thanking her.  
  
She smiled as she watched them eat, then she went back to make a pot of tea.  
  
"Oh, forgot to tell you," April called from the kitchen over the noise of the kettle. "Casey left a few things around here, and never took them back. There's quite a lot of his stuff in the back bedroom, so use that if those clothes get mucky, which I'm positive they will. I think they'll fit you. I cleaned them so don't worry."  
  
They all looked at each other.  
  
"What was Casey doing round here, and to leave his clothes?" Raph grinned.  
  
"Oh, he, er, got into one of his fights and nearly killed himself," April said, blushing a bit. "I said he could stay, so he has done a few times. Don't you even think about anything!"  
  
The guys laughed, and noticed how much their voices hadn't changed. Not at all. Still the same voices, still the same eyes.  
  
"Oh, and I brought your weapons back for you," April said and walked up the stairs, coming down a few seconds later with a sports bag, and Leo and Donnie's weapon sticking out of the zip. "They were going to ask you why you had these on you, but I guess they forgot. Nearly weren't gunna let me take them, but I said they belong to a friend of mine and were stolen."  
  
She put the bag down next to the couch and Mikey got up and grabbed his belt. He put it around his waist, which was now way too small for his belt. But he adjusted the strap, and it fit perfectly.  
  
They others adjusted theirs as well. They were all so much different now.  
  
April brought in their tea, and they drank thirstily.  
  
"So, what do we do now that we can't go back down the sewers?" Mikey asked, feeling totally lost in the human world.  
  
"Use your imagination," April smiled. "There's a whole world out there, and for once you can all be a part of it. Best make the most of you time like that."  
  
The guys looked surprised, not realising what they could now do. Leo thought that April always referred to them as going to turn back soon . . . But what if they didn't?  
  
The phone ran and they jumped. Leo hoped it would be Splinter.  
  
April answered, but the conversation was not one she would have with the Ninja Master. She put the phone down.  
  
"Guys, I have to go to work, so I'm gunna have to leave you here," she began to get ready, putting on her jacket and bringing her shoes out from the cupboard. "Get what you want to eat, and if you go out I have a spare key I can give to you; not that you might because Raph can't walk, but I should be back in a few hours, I'll phone ya." Then she tossed Leo a cut key, and walked out the door.  
  
The guys all stared at the key, then looked at each other.  
  
"I wanna go out!" Mikey said excitedly.  
  
"We can't, Raph can't walk," Leo said, pointing to Raph who was falling asleep.  
  
"Wha'?" He asked, hearing his name.  
  
"Hey Raph, can you walk?" Mikey asked, ignoring the stern look from Leo.  
  
"What kind of question's that? I got two legs."  
  
"No," Donnie said. "Raph shouldn't be putting any weight on his leg, and I'm not too sure I want to explore so soon after . . . After, well, this . . ."  
  
"Let's just think," Leo spoke again. "I mean, how could this have happened, think out the most possible ways."  
  
"I have no idea it's just -" Donnie began, but then froze and a thoughtful expression changed his face.  
  
"What? What is it Donnie?" Leo asked, frowning at his brother.  
  
"I just thought . . ." Donnie half whispered. "Remember the other day, when we were eating that pizza . . .?"  
  
"Yeah," Mikey said, waiting for his brother to continue.  
  
"Well, didn't you say, Mikey, that it tasted strange?"  
  
Mikey thought, his memory was a little less clear than his brothers as he had the worst head injury.  
  
"Yeah . . . I think I did . . ." Mikey said slowly, then realised what Donnie was saying.  
  
"What . . . You think it was the pizza?" Leo asked, also catching on.  
  
"Well, yeah, I mean, think; when we ate that pizza, Mikey said there was a strange taste to it . . . And then afterwards, we had that conversation about humans, and Mikey said it, didn't he?"  
  
"I said, I wished . . ." Mikey said.  
  
Donnie nodded. "Yes. That must have been it. There was something in that pizza, I'm sure. Or maybe forget that and call it coincidence," he snapped at Raph, who he had noticed was shaking his head to all of Donnie's explanation.  
  
"Soz, Don, s'not that . . . I mean, well, yeah it is. How the hell did a pizza change us?" Raph said.  
  
"Mikey changed us! The pizza was just the juice!" Donnie said, slapping his hand in his other hand to hit his point.  
  
All brothers stayed silent for a while, to let this new information/explanation sink in. Was it possible? Was what Donnie said true? And how would they change back?  
  
Finally Mikey broke the silence.  
  
"So . . . Do I eat another pizza and wish us back?"  
  
They all looked at him. He looked back and shrugged.  
  
"I have a feeling it was just that one, and lucky us got it." Donnie said, sarcastically with the 'lucky'.  
  
They felt sick with this subject, even know they all wanted hard proof of what happened to them; so they changed the subject . . . At least Mikey did.  
  
"Just think what and where we could go now . . ." Mikey said, as though his dreams had come true . . . Which they had in one way.  
  
None of his brothers answered. Mikey looked: Leo was staring into space, Donnie was obviously deep in thought with the funny face screwed up, and Raph was snoozing, drooping on Leo's shoulder, who didn't even know. Mikey sighed.  
  
/\/\/\/\  
  
The soldiers made a fearful line in front of their Master, who was looking rather steamed. He watched as his men lined up, and he paced up and down, slowly in front of them.  
  
"What happened?" He demanded in his rough, hard voice, which he was pleased to see, made the Foot flinch ever so slightly.  
  
One nervous soldier stepped forward. He bowed respectfully.  
  
"We attacked the figures in the trench coats you described, they fought exactly like our enemies," the man said. "But they were not. They were only four cloaked kids, teenagers. But they did have the same weapons . . ."  
  
He bowed again and stopped back, probably dripping with nervous sweat, and lucky to not have been killed for being the bad news.  
  
Their Master stopped pacing and it was clear from his silence and his stance that he was thinking. The soldiers were also in thought. What had happened down in that alleyway? The fighting skills and the weapons had been exactly the same as those freaks'; but when un-hooded, they were human kids . . . 


	4. Radical day!

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
The city turned dark and colder as the night drew closer. Down in the sewers this coldness would be noticed, but up in the warm apartments above, it wasn't noticed at all.  
  
In April's apartment, the four guys were all doing something different to the other: Donny had found a paper and pen, and was writing down necessary details about their crisis; Leo was meditating, trying to get in touch with Splinter, and had been sitting in one position for way too long it was almost certain he had no feeling in his butt; Raph was asleep on the couch, laid out by Donny, one arm over his chest, his face turned away; and Mikey was watching TV with the volume turned low, but loud enough for him. They all had been like this for a few hours, and Mikey was just bursting to go out and take advantage of their new form. But Donny didn't seem to be adjusting as quickly to his new body as Mikey; Leo didn't seem ready, and Raph just couldn't walk anywhere yet. It was driving Mikey mad to be stuck inside, like before when they were turtles, and not explore the world outside in who- knows how much time they had.  
  
Mikey switched channels, and turned the volume down slightly as a loud movie came on.  
  
It was dark in the apartment, and only the light from the TV and the very small light at the back of the room where Donnie was writing, were the only sources that penetrated the room's darkness.  
  
Mikey got up and fetched himself a cookie from the kitchen, then settled down and sat back on Raph's feet, careful of his leg.  
  
Finally, just then, Leo decided to come out of his meditation to realise he hadn't eaten anything since breakfast; and probably only realised the only reason why he couldn't find enough strength to widen his mind to Splinter, was because he was starving.  
  
"Leo, you okay?" Mikey asked, speaking quietly as his brother walked past him to the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine, Mikey. Thanks." Leo made himself a sandwich, watching his own hands, still with that slight shock at seeing five fingers. He brought it out into the room and stood by Mikey, eating.  
  
"I think I should make Donny something," Mikey thought out loud, concerned for his brother who hadn't looked up once from his paper; his neck was probably locked like that position of looking down. Plus, food would help his arm to mend quicker. Mikey got up and went into the kitchen where he made Donny a sandwich. He brought it back out, walked over to Donnie, who was sat at the desk far back over the other side of the room where he could concentrate; and laid the sandwich down next to the paper without saying anything.  
  
Donny looked up, startled by the sudden appearance of a sandwich. Mikey looked down at him.  
  
"Oh, thanks Mikey. Didn't realise I'm staving." Donny gratefully took the sandwich and bit into it.  
  
"No one seems to remember to eat . . ." Mikey said. "What's happening to us Donny? We won't all drift apart now will we? This won't cause some problem and the start an argument and before you know it we'll be spilt, will it?"  
  
Donny stopped chewing and thought about that. He looked up at his brother.  
  
"No Mikey. I don't think so . . . We'll stay together. Yeah, just today it seems, we're all forgetting things in our confusion, but once we get used to it, or changed back, I'm sure we'll be alright . . . Anyway, how can we forget each other with you reminding us to keep together?" Donny grinned at his brother.  
  
Mikey smiled back, feeling better now. He had thought maybe Leo and Donny had been too distant. Even though it was only a few hours, it was enough for Mikey to notice. He walked back to the couch to find Leo had taken his place on the couch. Mikey didn't mind, and sat next to him, sitting on the edge of the couch so he wouldn't be touching Raph's injured right leg.  
  
"I think I should call Splinter again on the phone," Leo said, staring at the TV, but directing his voice to Mikey.  
  
"You've phoned him six times already!" Mikey said, shaking his head. Yes he was worried about Master Splinter, but he felt too polite and guilty about using April's phone bill.  
  
"Well why isn't he answering the phone?" Leo asked, his voice a little high.  
  
Mikey didn't say anything. Maybe it was just Leo worrying, and he wished he would stop. It made him nervous to see their leader nervous.  
  
"The phone's . . . dead . . ." A murmur from behind them made them turn their heads to Raph, who was still asleep. He was talking in his sleep.  
  
"What?" Leo asked, knowing his brother was asleep. But this had happened before: They could get answers from Raph when he was only just halfway between half awake and deep sleep. They had fun doing this when they were little.  
  
"Hasn't worked . . . For two . . . Days . . . Doesn't ring . . ." Their brother slurred quietly. They only just heard his words.  
  
"Hasn't worked?" Leo repeated. "What did you do to it?!" Leo reached over and grabbed his brother by the shoulders, shaking him awake.  
  
"Wh-what-what?!" Raph woke up, his words bounced as he was shaken. He looked at Leo confused.  
  
"Great Leo, that was good. You can get better answers from him while he's asleep than when he's awake." Mikey shook his head, frowning at Leo.  
  
"What was that for?" Raph asked.  
  
"You said the phone was broken," Leo said quickly. "Home phone. How'd it break?"  
  
"I said what . . .?" Raph looked more confused. He propped himself up on his elbows.  
  
"How did the phone break?" Leo asked impatiently.  
  
"Our phone . . .?" Raph frowned. "How'd you know it was broke?"  
  
"Raph just tell me how it broke!"  
  
"Fine! Geeze, I dropped it down the stairs and lost a few little bits from inside . . . It was Mikey's fault, he tripped me."  
  
"Hey, that was an accident!" Mikey said. Then smiled as he realized they were already sounding normal, except that Leo sounded too desperate for an answer about the phone.  
  
Leo groaned and turned back to the TV, glaring at it.  
  
"What's wrong with him?" Raph asked, settling back down again, he still looked tired.  
  
"He can't get in touch with Master Splinter," Mikey explained. "And when you just told him the phone doesn't work, we just realized why Splinter hadn't been picking it up."  
  
"I didn't say it doesn't work," Raph frowned, and lifted his head from the couch arm.  
  
Mikey grinned. "Yes you did . . . You answer questions in your sleep, you know?"  
  
"What?!" Raph said.  
  
"We never told you before, but it was funny . . ." Mikey smiled slyly. "And we know why you came home that night ages ago, all puffed out and sweaty . . . We know you and Casey were chased by that shadowed monster and when it came into the light it was a little poodle!"  
  
Mikey dashed out of his seat before Raph could grab him. Raph growled as he missed, and wasn't feeling in the mood to be chasing Mikey around the apartment. They had to keep quiet otherwise the surrounding apartments would complain to April about the noise.  
  
Leo suddenly got up and walked over to the window. It was the window that he always loved to watch from. It showed a lovely part of the city. But what felt good was that he could stand here without worrying about being seen, and stare at the lights of the city as some of it shut up for the night. Leo sighed. How could he get in contact with Splinter now? He'd have to sleep and catch up on his strength. That was the only way. He was still weak from the accident, and from lack of food. But he just didn't feel hungry.  
  
Mikey looked at his brother, then frowned at Raph, who shrugged, sat back and closed his eyes. Moments later he was asleep again.  
  
Sometimes Mikey wished he could get to sleep that quickly. Sometimes he could, but not very often. Most times he always had to get comfy first or had to have the right thought in mind for his body to relax and rest. Raph could just close his eyes and he was gone.  
  
Donny got up from the table for the first time in the past few hours, and joined Mikey on the couch.  
  
"What's wrong with Leo?" Donny asked, whispering.  
  
"He found out that Splinter isn't picking up the phone because it's broken. Raph just told us, in his sleep." Mikey explained.  
  
Donny nodded, and smiled. He knew about the thing with Raph and sleep. He was the one who told the others. But he was worried for Master Splinter. He could see that Mikey was too.  
  
Leo remained at the window, and only turned around from it to look at the doorway when the door was unlocked and April walked in a few minutes later.  
  
"Hey guys," she sounded weary. April dumped her jacket on the desk near the door, and kicked off her shoes. She had two shopping bags in her hand, each with two boxes in.  
  
"Hey April," Mikey smiled at her and rushed into the kitchen to make a cup of tea for her and them all. "How was work?"  
  
"Oh, tiring, thanks Mikey." April flopped down in the seat Mikey had just got up from, next to Donny. "The police are checking the sewer tunnels just underneath the man holes, because they had found some stolen things down one earlier on, and are sure the criminals are using the sewers. And I got you some sneakers, weren't that much, but I think they're your sizes. You're all the same so that was easy."  
  
They thanked her.  
  
Mikey came in with her tea and handed it to her. She said thanks and gulped half of it down, then sipped the rest.  
  
"Have fun on your own?" She asked when she lowered the mug.  
  
"Well . . . We didn't go anywhere, but we did think of a possible reason for all of this." Donny said.  
  
April waited. "What?"  
  
"We think it was the pizza we had that night," Mikey told her. "It tasted funny, and we think it kinda gave me some kinda power. Yeah sounds silly, but I think Donny's right; and that night I actually said 'I wish to be human' . . ."  
  
April nodded and sipped her tea. She turned to Leo.  
  
"Got hold of Splinter yet?" She asked  
  
He shook his head. "No. I found out our phone back home is broken," he glanced at the sleeping Raph.  
  
"How?"  
  
"Raph broke it."  
  
Donny looked up. "He didn't ask me to fix it? Um."  
  
"Well," April said putting her empty mug on the floor. "I had a visit from the cop who questioned you yesterday. He told me the name of the school he and Hera had thought best for you, and said you can start in two days when their vacation finish."  
  
They all groaned.  
  
"Is this wise?" Donny asked. "Going to school?" He looked at Leo.  
  
"Well we've only got April's place to stay," Leo said. "And if we don't go that cop'll be round here forcing us anyway, and I don't like cops so the less we see of them the better."  
  
April nodded again, then looked at the clock above the TV.  
  
"It's late. I think I'll hit the hay early, I'm exhausted." She got up. "You guys will have to make yourselves comfortable in the spare guest room and the little box room I have upstairs for space. I can make you a bed in there."  
  
"Thanks, Ape," they said.  
  
"But it looks like Raph'll be staying on the couch tonight," Donny observed.  
  
April went upstairs to get the box room ready for Mikey, who said he wouldn't mind being on his own, and to get the extra space. A few minutes later, Leo and Donny had said goodnight and disappeared into the guest room, whispering about their problem. Mikey had brought out a spare duvet cover.  
  
"Where do you want this April?" He asked. His teenage arms were just as strong in his human form as well as his turtle form, though his muscles seemed slightly smaller than in turtle form. But he still looked strong for a teenager.  
  
"Oh, thanks Mikey." April took them from him. "You can go to bed now, thanks."  
  
"Okay," Mikey said goodnight, hugged her, and disappeared upstairs to the room she had prepared for him. He felt weird. This wasn't the first time he had slept at her house. It was just the weird feeling of dragging a lighter human body up the stairs, and realizing how tired he was.  
  
April took the duvet over to the couch, and gently laid it over Raph, who groaned softly.  
  
She smiled and made her way to her own room. She could hear the tossing and turning of Mikey as he tried to get comfortable in his new form. She got into bed, thoughts running through her head. How would these guys take and react to school? They were still suffering a little after-shock. It's still a big thing to them. April couldn't think long; before she had even thought about the school she would have to show them in two days, she was fast asleep, her tiredness got the better of her.  
  
/\/\/\/\  
  
The following morning everyone got up late. They rose to a rainy day, quite miserable and dark. But this didn't dampen their spirits, as now after the second night in human form, they felt slightly better; getting used to it, and it felt good.  
  
Leo was the first up, along with Donny, who he had woken. They both groaned as they got up, but Donny still felt tired. He could understand how Raph slept half the day yesterday and all the night.  
  
Leo opened the guest bedroom door and stepped out into the slightly cooler apartment. He walked over to the kitchen and started to make a drink for when everyone was awake. Leo noticed Raph was still on the couch, and still in the same position as last night.  
  
Donny walked out a minute after him. He didn't feel so much weird now, but could still feel the difference in turtle and human bodies. It was still so strange to him, but now he was getting used to it, he didn't feel as outside of himself as he did. He knew his brothers felt the same . . . when the rest wake up.  
  
Leo smiled a small good morning greeting to his brother as he joined him. Donny's hair was stuck up and the back, but it felt so strange to be noticing things like that.  
  
"Your hair's a mess," Leo smiled at him.  
  
Donny shrugged and flattened it down with his hand, running his fingers through it in a short attempt to groom it.  
  
"Hey, I never had hair, be kind," Donny grinned. "I have to get used to combing it in the morning . . . man is this going to be one weird month . . . or a few."  
  
Leo smiled and poured the boiling water into the kettle with the tea bags. It was a little difficult to get used to holding the kettle by the handle, when all of his fingers fit perfectly in the gap. He smiled slightly.  
  
The stairs creaked behind them and they both turned around to see April, rubbing her eyes, coming down them. She noticed them and smiled.  
  
"Hey guys," she said, and flopped down in the armchair.  
  
"Morning Ape," Donny said, and brought her the tea that Leo had just poured up.  
  
"Oh thanks Donny," April took the mug gratefully. "Got any plans for today?"  
  
"Not yet," Leo called from the kitchen, passing Donny his tea, and leaving Mikey and Raph's in the pot. He grabbed his own and sat with Donnie on the couch, nearly on Raph, facing April.  
  
"Go check out the place, I want you to," April said. "It's not often you get to walk out in broad daylight and explore."  
  
"Yeah . . . But what about Mikey's head injury? And Raph's leg? I'm not sure they've completely recovered." Leo said, sipping his tea.  
  
"Go sit in the park," April suggested. "Then when they've both got used to being up and walking, visit some places. I can give you a bit of money."  
  
"Oh, no thanks Ape, we don't wanna steal from ya," Leo grinned. "But we will do that, thanks."  
  
Glad they had found something to do for the day, and secretly dieing to go outside, they waited till Mikey and Raph woke.  
  
They didn't have to wait long: Mikey came down the stairs a few minutes later, and as he yawned a good morning to his brothers and April, Raph woke up, groaning.  
  
"Wassa time?" Raph slurred, sitting up.  
  
"Half eleven," Donny replied, glancing at the clock above the TV. "In the morning."  
  
"How's your leg?" April asked.  
  
"Fine," Raph said, though they knew he wouldn't really say anything else. If it had turned purple and he was screaming in pain he would still say he was alright, or crack some sarcastic joke.  
  
"Are we gonna do anything today?" Mikey asked. He knew they would as they hadn't been anywhere yesterday, and he could tell his brothers looked eager to get out. But he still asked.  
  
"Well, we were thinking of going out into the town . . ." Donny said.  
  
"Wait, shouldn't we be trying to find a way to change ourselves back?" Leo asked, and then shrugged when they all stared at him. "Well, there might be a way . . . And why shouldn't we?"  
  
"Leo, d'you realize what we are now?" Mikey asked, talking to his brother in a tone of disbelief that his brother didn't know the answer to the question.  
  
"Yes, but . . . It just doesn't seem right to be going out, while Splinter's down in the sewers alone . . ."  
  
"We know Splinter can take care of himself, but we do know that we can't get down to him, or reach him," Donny said. "There's nothing we can do except wait for the work on the man hole pipes to clear . . . hopefully it won't be long."  
  
"So we're going out?" Mikey asked excitedly. He wanted a straight, positive answer.  
  
"Sure, if Raph's well enough to walk."  
  
"Yeah, sure I am," Raph nodded, and swung his legs off the couch onto the floor.  
  
Mikey smiled, and looked to Leo, who even he couldn't keep the excitement out of his face.  
  
An hour later, when they had all had a well filling breakfast April and Mikey had cooked, they were putting on their sneakers, which felt weird as they had never worn anything on their feet before. (They had come out of the hospital with nothing on their feet) Then they looked at each other, and experimentally walked around the apartment, getting the feel and use of the new footwear. April had to giggle.  
  
Only a few minutes after that, they were outside the building, walking April to her car. She was going to work while they explored the town. She had slipped money into Leo's pocket, with protests from him, but ignored. She gave Donny the key, and told them not to stay out long as it might damage Raph's leg. He grumbled to her, but she smiled, started the engine and, with a good bye, drove off. The guys looked at each other.  
  
"Yes!" Mikey jumped into the air. "We're finally going out! In broad daylight! D'ya know how good this feels dudes?!"  
  
His brothers grinned at him. Yes, it did feel strange, but good. People passed them, looked once, didn't scream but smiled and carried on their business.  
  
"Man did you see that?!" Mikey shouted, practically jumping and skipping with joy.  
  
His brothers shook their heads, smiling, and they all started off into town. People only looked at them because of their identicalness. But they didn't care. The guys walked in any shop they wanted. Looking at anything they wanted. No one screamed, and it felt so weird. They were all expecting at some point for someone to scream, or shout. But no one did.  
  
"This is cool . . ." Donny awed, looking around the sports store they had walked in.  
  
"Wow, never knew stores could hold this much," Mikey said, his head tilted up, looking at the top rows of equipment.  
  
They left that shop, and Donny saw something he wanted to look in. It was a gadget store, and their brother practically yelled when he saw it. They followed him in, finding the things inside very interesting to look at. It was so strange to be able to look at something, and not have to worry about covering any thing that would scare people.  
  
When they decided to leave, they had to actually grab and pull Donny away. They walked around the streets, looking through store windows. When finally came the time they knew Raph would start to slow down because of his leg. He insisted they carry on and that it didn't hurt but they all decided to stop and sit down for a while. They found a small park with three benches. One bench was taken by on old couple, the other by some teenagers their own age. The guys took up the third bench, aware that the kids opposite them were staring, and muttering to themselves.  
  
"They're not staring because of . . . you know . . . anything?" Mikey whispered, looking at himself. His heart beat a little too fast as he thought maybe they were staring because they might have been changing back. But no, he was still human.  
  
"No," Donny said. "They're just staring probably 'cause they've never seen us around before . . . and face it, they've got a good thing to stare at. I mean, we're all identical."  
  
"And Donny points out the obvious again," Raph remarked sarcastically.  
  
Donny shrugged and grinned. "Thought you should be informed seeing as how you seem to be missing bits."  
  
Raph laughed sarcastically.  
  
"Hey, dudes, I'm hungry." Mikey told them, standing up and patting his stomach.  
  
"There's a hotdog stall over there," Donny pointed out.  
  
"Hey, Leo, money," Mikey turned to Leo.  
  
"Mikey, this is April's money, I don't think we really should be spending it just like that." Their leader said.  
  
"April gave us the money to SPEND . . . Anyway, humans spend for no reason, but we have a reason, because we've never had the reason humans use to spend it."  
  
Leo shook his head at Mikey, reached into his pocket and took out the wad of notes. He handed it to his brother.  
  
"Thanks, whadda you guys want?" He asked, dancing on his toes.  
  
They all answered plain hotdog, and Mikey and Donnie went to fetch them. They came back a minute later; Mikey holding two, Donny two. They had received kind smiles from the guys behind the stall, and then a jaw-drop as he saw the two 'twins' go over to two other twins. Mikey had to snigger.  
  
"Thanks." Raph and Leo took their food, and Donnie sat down with his. Mikey was the only one who had onions and everything else that was possible to pile on a hotdog.  
  
The teenagers opposite them still stared. There were three girls and two boys in the group.  
  
After they'd eaten in only a few minutes (not even a minute for Mikey), they decided to get up and walk again. The kids still staring at them as they left the park.  
  
They walked around for another hour, and then Mikey decided to take better advantage of his form. He pulled them into a clothes shop, and told them to sit in the dressing rooms while he tried on some cool clothes. He found it very funny and exciting. He came out first, posing to his three brothers, in a very bright orange shirt, much like an Hawaii shirt a tourist would wear; along with some tourist shorts. He looked funny, but they did suit him quite well.  
  
Next, after he had put them away, he came out wearing some cool jeans, with a chain, and a sleeveless, black shirt with a silver scull on it. He put that back and many more came after it. He eventually got Donny to join in, and Donny and Mikey both jumped out the changing rooms, wearing the same: Dark blue jeans, a purple and orange shit, and shades. They did look very cool. Leo laughed, and Raph even found himself laughing. Soon, it was Donny who was urging Leo and Raph to try, while they sat and watched. Leo agreed, with a laugh, and Donny and Mikey both forced Raph in a changing room, throwing in a pair of jeans and a shirt after him, with protests. A few minutes later, Leo came out, grinning and looking very cool in a nice style of baggy jeans, and a sleeveless shirt that clung to his strong but slim form. They had to shout at Raph to come out, and he did, hands in the pockets of his baggy jeans, wearing a red top like Leo's, and grinning embarrassedly. His brothers were glad to see him smiling and not scowling.  
  
But the day ended quicker than they liked. They had the best day ever, and wished for more. In no time they were walking back home, to April's. The day was only just starting to turn dark, and they knew April would be home. She had told them not to stay out too long, but she couldn't blame them for staying out late. They hadn't spent all of her money, and still had quite a bit left, thanks to Leo, Keeper Of Apes Money, as his brothers called him.  
  
As they walked up the stairs of the building with April's apartment a quarter of an hour after they had left the last store, they were all grinning, and it was one of those rare times when nothing could have spoilt the day. They reached April's apartment and walked in and found her on the couch, watching TV.  
  
She smiled at them. They all stood and looked at her, Raph closed the door.  
  
"Have fun?" She asked.  
  
They all looked sideways at each other, and grinned. Then Mikey burst into detail about their day, explaining how weird it was and how good it felt to have no one scream at them. April laughed at his energy and enthusiasm. Mikey told her about the stores they went in, about their little dress-up game, and about the rest of the things they had done.  
  
"I'm glad you had fun," April said, really meaning it. It was really nice to see them all so happy, and getting along with each other without arguments. April gasped in mocked surprise when Mikey told her that Leo and Raph hadn't snapped once at each other. Leo grinned and Raph just smiled, and looked at the floor, hands in pockets.  
  
They all stopped talking when a knock sounded on the door. April got up and looked through the peephole in the door. She turned back and mouthed 'cop' at the guys. Then she opened the door.  
  
Chief Giph stood at the door, and when it opened he looked up and smiled to April.  
  
"I was passing and just came by to tell you the times of the school tomorrow. The times it will start and finish," he said, and walked in as April motioned him to.  
  
The guys all watched him as he moved in. He nodded to them.  
  
"You will be in school for nine in the morning, and I will be here to escort you, and make sure you attend." The cop looked at each face. "The school finishes at three fifteen."  
  
The guys looked at each other while April and the cop talked further details. A minute later he left, and April shut the door. She turned to them.  
  
"Okay," Donny said, looking sideways to his brothers. "Looks like we have no choice but to go . . . now he's escorting us . . ." 


	5. First Day

Radical Transformation ~  
  
The next morning couldn't have come quick enough. Last night they all went to bed, feeling nervous; today they woke feeling extremely nervous. Raph had shared the box room with Mikey, who Raph complained snored. Leo and Donny had taken up the guest room again, but Leo had offered his half to Raph for his leg. They all seemed slightly surprised when he did, but Raph refused, saying he wished he would stop being treated as though he was about to die.  
  
April was first up this morning. Her night hadn't been as restless as the guys'. They had all gone to bed slightly earlier than usual, and it had done the job: They were not so tired as normal when they woke.  
  
As April walked through the room to the kitchen, she looked at the time on the clock. It was a quarter to eight. They guys should get up soon if they wanted breakfast, and to be at their new school on time. It wasn't good to be late and draw attention to themselves. She also felt nervous for them. Would any one be suspicious of them? About how they're four identical brothers? Of course they wouldn't. Nothing could connect them to the rumors about the green turtles who whoop crime's ass. April was still just getting the hang of all this. Her friends turning human, and then this absurd idea from the cop's head tells them they had to attend school. April couldn't help but smile as she put the kettle on and started to make five breakfasts. They wanted to be human, and got a bit more than what they bargained for.  
  
At five to eight, April sighed. Having eaten her breakfast, she went into the guest room, which was downstairs, where Leo and Donny pretended to be asleep. They were only dressed in some of Casey's shorts and a long T-shirts for nightwear.  
  
"Get up, you lazy pair," April grinned, stood at the end of the bed and pulled the covers off. "School time."  
  
Leo and Donny groped for the covers, but when they couldn't find them, looked up and put on a face.  
  
April laughed. "Sorry guys, but if you don't get up by the time that cop gets here then he really WILL think you're skivers."  
  
With groans, Leo and Donny pulled themselves from the bed, and into the kitchen where April told them their breakfast was waiting.  
  
"It's not just me who feels sick and nervous about this whole stupid idea of us going to school, is it?" Donny asked Leo, as they both grabbed their bowls from the kitchen counter.  
  
"No. I feel the same." Leo reassured him.  
  
April walked upstairs and into the spare room. Raph and Mikey were both on the floor, covers over their heads.  
  
"Guys, it's morning . . ." April said, smiling.  
  
Mikey moaned and pulled the covers tighter over his head.  
  
"School time guys," April grinned. This was fun to torment them.  
  
Mikey and Raph both grabbed their pillows and threw them at her. She laughed as she dodged them, then grabbed Raph's cover and yanked it off.  
  
"Not well . . ." He moaned. But April could see the smile curving on his lips.  
  
"Get up, breakfast's downstairs."  
  
Raph just groaned and buried his head in his arms, trying to get back to sleep.  
  
Mikey giggled when April crouched down and tried to wrestle the covers away from him.  
  
"C'mon, you'll have a great time at school, that cop'll be here soon," April reminded them  
  
Not wanting any nasty business with him, the two reluctantly got up and followed April down the stairs, where Leo and Donny were eating their breakfast slowly.  
  
"I can't believe we're doing this," Mikey whined as he and Raph grabbed their bowls from the kitchen.  
  
"Yeah, well I can't believe you're human," April smiled.  
  
It was now twenty past eight, and the brothers were feeling nervously sick, which was the main feeling this morning. They had finished their breakfast, and Mikey had done the washing. Then they had each pulled on the clothes they wore yesterday, with a promise from April that she would get them some more from her friend's son, who was their age but had moved over to England with his dad. The woman had told April, after hearing April's story, that she would give them her son's clothes, as well as her son's school bag, which he had two of. The guys seemed embarrassed about all this trouble for them. They weren't used to clothes anyway, and only remembered to comb their hair when April looked at it and told them it was scruffy. Raph couldn't really do much with his.  
  
At a quarter to nine, there was a knock at the door, and all of their stomachs did the twist. April answered the door and Giph was standing there.  
  
"Ah, good to see you're ready," he said, looking at them all sat on the couch. "I think we should be going. It starts at nine, but you need to sign in and stuff."  
  
The guys looked at each other. April gave them an encouraging smile, which they returned with a small, weak one. Donny picked up the bag from April's friend, Leo and Mikey slung one each over their shoulders; April had lent them. Only Raph didn't have a bag, but he and Mikey had secretly agreed to hide their weapons in Mikey's.  
  
"Best be off then, thank you Miss," he said to April. He walked out the door, and the guys hesitated.  
  
"Go on then," April said. She hugged them all before they walked out the door.  
  
"This is ludicrous," Donny mumbled. His brothers looked at him with a face that said 'I agree'.  
  
They followed Giph down the building's stairs and into the parking lot across the street. He walked up to his police car, and waited for them to reach it before he said anything.  
  
"One in the front, three in the back, no litter and you will walk home when the day is finished. Understood?" He looked at them.  
  
They nodded, and Raph got in the front, the others in the back.  
  
The car smelt funny, but they dared not say anything. Giph drove away from April's apartment, and as he did, they felt like they could puke. He drove through town, past the shops they had looked in, and ten minutes later he pulled up in front of a large, wide building, with cement paths and trees and grass at the front, otherwise know as a large garden. They got out the car with a meaningful look from Giph at them.  
  
"I called in and told them you'd be joining. So just go to the reception. And take those things from around your heads, they won't be allowed." Giph said, and then drove away.  
  
The guys watched the car disappear round a corner, ignoring his order about the bandannas, then they all looked up at the building. Kids older, younger and the same age swarmed the place. Some sat against the trees on the grass, others walking with handfuls of books down the paths. Some kids stared at them as they walked past. The guys let their gaze turn up at the name of the building on a sign.  
  
"Vinilla high?!" Mikey read. "Vinilla? Why not chocolate?"  
  
"Okay, let's just go to reception." Donny breathed deeply.  
  
"Let's not!" Raph declared and was about to turn around. "Let's get outta here!" But Leo grabbed his arm.  
  
"No, we'll be in serious trouble if they say to Giph that we didn't turn up. It could get us AND April into trouble." Their leader said.  
  
They all looked at each other, with faces of humorous doom. Then they walked, slowly, down the path that leads to what looked like the main door. They joined the stream of kids also making their way in.  
  
Inside was a tiled floor, and clean, pale blue walls. Lockers lined the wall down one corridor to their right, but they followed a sign that said 'reception' on the wall. They turned left, passing staring kids, and came to the reception, which was a desk, and a woman sitting behind it. To her left was a door, no doubt the principle's, hint the plaque saying 'Principle'.  
  
The woman, Mrs. Sanbury (as it said on her desk plaque), looked up at them, and smiled warmly.  
  
"Ah, you must be the quadruplets," she had a squeaky voice; full of life, despite the age she looked.  
  
They nodded wordlessly.  
  
Mrs. Sanbury pulled out a load of papers from her draw and started to take down some details, after asking a few questions. When she asked for their last name, and they said they didn't have one, she looked at them frowning.  
  
"No surname?" She asked.  
  
"No, er . . . we never had one," Leo lied (well, that bit was true). "Our, um, parents died when we were born, and erm, no one knew who they were, so we lived in an orphanage for some time before discovering our aunt and other relatives." He lied quite good.  
  
Mrs. Sanbury immediately became sympathetic towards them.  
  
"Oh dears, I am sorry, what a story," she said.  
  
Leo felt guilty, but his brothers flashed him a smile.  
  
A few minutes later she was telling them all the times of the school, for lunch, break, classes, and handed them a timetable. She told them this would be a temporary agenda for each of them.  
  
A loud bell echoed in the corridors, and the all kids quickly disappeared into their classrooms. The guys were still stood in reception, now waiting for the principle, whose name was Principle Simmons. They were offered to sit down by Mrs. Sanbury, and they did do, but feeling very nervous. Mrs. Sanbury seemed to notice, and started rambling on about how strange it was to start a new school. The guys were thinking in their head how strange it was to START a school! They kept noticing how Mrs. Sanbury stared at each of their faces, trying to find a sign to tell them apart. They politely looked away.  
  
After about fifteen minutes, in which Mrs. Sanbury chatted the whole time, footsteps coming from the corridor made them look up to see a man in a smart, black uniform, unmistakably the principle, Mr. Simmons. He was a thick build man, not fat, and was quite tall.  
  
"Ah, Principle Simmons," Mrs. Sanbury smiled. "These are the young boys who will be joining us, as Chief Giph said."  
  
Simmons looked down at the guys, who looked up, and gulped.  
  
"Um. Yes, I remember Giph saying about you four being identical, that could get very confusing." Simmons had a low voice, in which they could hear every syllable perfectly. "Who's who, then?"  
  
They stood up and said their names.  
  
Simmons nodded. They got the impression that he wasn't one to cross, but he wasn't an unfair man.  
  
The principle led them into his office, where he told them about the school rules, and where the important things were like the nurse. He told them they should have lockers to put their things in. He found four spare ones close to each other, writ down the four combination numbers on four separate pieces of paper and gave them to the guys. Simmons told them that the kids here were nice enough, and that he didn't like troublemakers. Leo, Donny and Mikey all glanced at Raph, who frowned as if to say 'what?' After talking for two hours, which was the time of the two first classes before break, the bell rang, and the sounds of kids coming from their classes echoed, muffled through the door. They all stood up, and Principle Simmons told them to come and see him at the end of the day so he could find out how their day went.  
  
They left his office and walked away from the reception, where Mrs.. Sanbury was humming to herself, and into the sea of kids.  
  
"Man . . . Is this what kids have to come to everyday?" Mikey said, glancing around to some kids being told off by a teacher.  
  
"Not every day," Donny said, matter-of-factly. "They get Saturdays and Sundays off. Then they have spare days, Easter vacation, Christmas, summer . . ." He looked to his brothers who were staring at him. "What?"  
  
"I bet no one would tell you've never been to school," Raph rolled his eyes. Donny grinned at him.  
  
"Okay, so it's break time . . . Where's the cafeteria?!" Mikey said.  
  
His brother groaned and shook their heads. Mikey shrugged.  
  
"I'm gonna see if these lockers work," Leo said. "That's something to do until classes start again. Or we could explore the place."  
  
While they were talking, they had been walking over to the lockers. They each looked along the rows for theirs. Leo found his, and next to it was Donny's. On the row above and two right, was Mikey's, and Raph's next to it. Leo, Donny and Mikey checked theirs, just to see if it had the right combination.  
  
While they were doing that, Raph leaned against the lockers, arms folded. He watched the kids down the corridor to his left, which led outside to a nice, large enclosed garden, with trees that shaded it from the sun. The feeling of eyes on him was something he had gotten used to by now, but the feeling hit it at that moment and it felt strange. He looked away from the corridor to his left, and caught a glimpse of a pair of eyes and a chain hanging from around a neck in the crowd. The chain was intriguing, and the pendant on it was like a twisted, silver fireball. The eyes where the weird thing though: They were purple. Raph stared and the face came into view. The eyes and the necklace belonged to a girl, a very beautiful girl. She smiled at him and then glanced at his brothers before she disappeared through a door. Raph stared. Her eyes had been weird, but pretty. Purple? Purple eyes? They weren't bright purple, but to the ninja eye, they could be seen from a distance. Anyone else wouldn't have noticed.  
  
"Raph?"  
  
He shook himself mentally, and turned to his brothers, who where staring at him.  
  
"We're going around, see what there is in here," Leo told him. "You coming?"  
  
Raph nodded. "Sure."  
  
They walked down the left corridor; the one Raph had been looking down, and into the enclosed garden. A few kids smiled and stared at them, and much to their embarrassment, a few girls said hi, in a way they would have ran from. They walked around the bottom level, and it was that big that by the time they had found their way back to their lockers (which took some time), the bell went. They all looked at each other, and Donny brought out his timetable.  
  
"Erm, Math," he said. "Room 43."  
  
They looked at the doors closest them. They were all in the twenties.  
  
"Must be upstairs," Leo said, now looking around. Most of the kids had disappeared into their own classes.  
  
They made their way to the nearest staircase, and looked at the doors along the hall. The numbers were thirties. They walked along until they came to the forties. Then, at room 43, they had a pushing fight about who would go in first. Finally Leo was pushed to the front, with remarks like 'you're the leader, lead!'  
  
Leo opened the door, with his three brothers behind him.  
  
The class was not yet settled for working, which the guys felt grateful about otherwise the whole class would stare at them. The teacher, and some of the quieter students did look.  
  
"Ah, you'll be the quadruplets," the teacher said. He was a thin, strict looking man, with dark rimmed glasses. He looked at their bandannas disapprovingly. "My name is Mr Reily. You will sit at the back." He handed them four orange exercise books. "Put your names on the books." He watched as they made their way to the back. Most of the class were watching them now, and they could feel their faces heat up.  
  
There were five empty seats at the back, and they all sat together, which left one empty at the end next to Raph. They put their heads down, aware they were being stared at, but were grateful when Mr. Reily called back their attention.  
  
The lesson soon got started, and the soft talking of the other students filled the room. Mr. Reily was as strict as he looked, but he did let them chat. Some girls on the front row, on the other side of the room, kept turning around and staring, then giggling and turning back. Leo, Donny, Raph and Mikey wished they would stop, and what made them steam was that Mr. Reily noticed but didn't say anything; instead he smirked.  
  
The work he set wasn't too hard, but did require some thinking. The topic was Trigonometry. Mikey, Raph and Leo worked together, while Donny whizzed through them, finishing before anyone else in the class. Mr. Reily noticed him not doing anything, because he finished, and walked up to them all.  
  
"Why aren't you working, Leo?" He growled, looking at Donny.  
  
"I am working," Leo protested, looking up.  
  
Mr. Reily's lip curled. "Alright then, Mike."  
  
"I'm Mikey."  
  
"Well whatever your name is then!" Mr. Reily hissed.  
  
"Donny, Sir."  
  
"Donny . . ." The teacher sniggered in dislike. "Why are you not doing any work?"  
  
Most of the class were watching and listening.  
  
"I've finished it, Sir."  
  
Mr Reily seized Donny's book and read his work. He placed it on the desk, then ordered Donny to do the next exercise. Then he strode back to the front of the room to his desk.  
  
"Man, he's one nasty piece of work," Donny shook his head. His brothers agreed.  
  
The rest of the time, after the rest of the class had finished the first exercise, and Donny the second; Reily went through an explanation of trigonometry rules, then set some questions. Donny finished these, then helped his brothers.  
  
When the class ended, Donny plunged a hand into his bag and grabbed his timetable. He sure didn't mind all this. On the contrary, he seemed to enjoying it.  
  
"We've got biology next," he said, happily.  
  
"No way! I'm not taking any mora this!" Raph said, hands out.  
  
Mr Reily looked up, as the rest of his students filed out, to see what the noise was about.  
  
"Raph, we don't really have any other choice," Donny said quietly, so Reily didn't hear. "I say we make the most of the time we have here."  
  
"What if we never leave? What if we stay here?" Raph crossed his arms.  
  
"Don't be so stubborn, and enjoy something for once," Donny said, then walked off. Leo and Mikey grinned at Raph, then they all followed.  
  
Biology was downstairs, at the end of the first school building. It was a long room, with two columns of joined tables, and four rows in each.  
  
When the guys walked in, everyone else was still just sitting down and pulling out their books. The teacher at the front was a small, squat woman. She had her dark hair in a bun, and a kind face.  
  
"Oh, god morning," she said when she saw them. "Didn't know you'd be in my class, well, choose a seat then, I'll get you some books." She walked off to go and look in a cupboard in the desk, while the guys were left to find a seat. Most had been taken, and there were four left; but they weren't together.  
  
Leo looked at his brothers, then they paired off. Leo with Donny sat on the second row on the right side column. Raph and Mikey went to the other side, first row. But while Raph followed Mikey down the middle of the two columns, he trod on something and lifted his foot to see what it was.  
  
It was the necklace he had seen on that girl with the purple eyes. She must have dropped it. Raph picked it up and slipped it into his jean pockets, then sat down next to Mikey on the end of the row.  
  
Biology was a steady class. The topic in this was about inheritance of the genes. As usual, Donny sped through the work, and Leo wasn't far behind. Mikey and Raph just doodled and didn't really get much done. The boy next to Mikey made a nice conversation with him. The boy's name was Matt Hill. He was seated next to his brother Owen.  
  
"So where have you moved from?" Matt asked Mikey.  
  
"LA," Mikey smiled.  
  
"Cool, is it nice there? I've been on holiday before, but I was really young so I can't remember much."  
  
"Oh, it's . . . Okay." Mikey lied. "But when you live there it doesn't seem much different to any other place."  
  
Owen was looking at Mikey's book, which the teacher had handed him and his brothers earlier on.  
  
"How come you haven't put down your last name?" Owen asked.  
  
"Oh, I don't have one," Mikey said, wishing the questions would stop.  
  
"You don't have one?" Owen asked sceptically. "Why not?"  
  
But before Mikey could answer, Matt came to his rescue.  
  
"Geeze Owen, he don't have to tell you his life story. Don't be so nosey." Matt said.  
  
Mikey couldn't help but smile a bit.  
  
Half way into the lesson, and a lot of talking from Mikey and his new friend, Matt, both him and his brother Owen were trying to tell Mikey's brothers apart.  
  
"Okay, so you said Leo was the one with the . . . Purple bandanna and shirt?" Matt asked.  
  
"No, that's Donny," Mikey corrected.  
  
"So Leo's in the blue?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Right, so then him next to you is Ralph, and you're Mikey."  
  
"Yeah, but it's Raph," Mikey grinned as his brother next to him growled.  
  
"Oh, funny name."  
  
"Funny guy." Mikey joked, and held his hands in surrender to Raph, who had just turned to him with his fists balled. But he was stopped by the teacher, whose name was Mrs. Lyne.  
  
"Excuse me," she called to him, and the class turned around.  
  
Raph looked at them, then lowered his hand. His cheeks turned slightly red. Mikey grinned, and across the room, so did Leo and Donny.  
  
At the end of the class, after watching a video on chromosomes and genes, the bell rang, and it was finally time for lunch. No one rushed this time to pack their bags as there wasn't a next lesson to go to, so the guys weren't the only ones left in the room.  
  
Mikey went over to Leo and Donny, while Raph was busy scribbling his name on his book. He straightened up from bending over the table, and looked at the back of the class where some girls were talking. As they walked past Raph, glancing at him, one girl was still left at the back of the room, looking frantically in her bag and pockets, searching for something. This girl was the one Raph had seen in the corridor, with the purple eyes. He walked up to her while his brothers were talked into conversation by the teacher. The girl didn't even see him as he stood next to her.  
  
"Hey, looking for something?" Raph asked, showing his fist in which the chain was wrapped around and the pedant hung from it.  
  
The girl turned around, looked at him and then at the chain. She smiled.  
  
"Thanks," she said as he handed it to her. "This chain's very important to me, I was afraid I'd dropped it somewhere."  
  
"You had, right on the floor," Raph smiled. He noticed her pretty features and her smooth skin. She was very pretty.  
  
The girl fastened the chain back around her neck and looked up again at Raph, glancing at his brothers behind him, who had finished their conversation with Mrs. Lyne and had come to join Raph.  
  
"Hi-ya," Mikey greeted politely.  
  
The girl smiled back. She a tomboyish look about her. She had flared, light blue pants on, and a three length, white top; but her face had that adventurous and mischief look. Her hair was long, down to her waist, and was a really nice dark red-brown color. Her eyes were a dark, but noticeable purple.  
  
"Hi," Leo and Donny smiled kindly at her.  
  
The girl looked from one face to the other, and then chuckled.  
  
"Sorry, it's just cool to see four identical faces," she smiled again. She had a nice smile, a bit tomboyish too.  
  
"Yeah," Leo said, smiling.  
  
"What're your names?" She asked.  
  
"I'm Leo," Leo said.  
  
"Mikey!"  
  
"Donny," Donny smiled shyly.  
  
They all turned to Raph, but he looked at her.  
  
"What's yours?" He asked.  
  
"Prida," she said, and blushed a little. "Prida Valantine."  
  
"Prida? That's a funny name," Raph smirked, jokingly.  
  
"What's yours then?" Prida asked, smiling.  
  
"Raph."  
  
"Raph? Funny name!"  
  
Leo, Donny, Mikey and Prida laughed, while Raph studied her as she laughed, a one-sided smile on his face.  
  
"So, where have you guys come from?" Prida asked, as they started to walk out of class. Everyone else had gone.  
  
"Oh, LA," Mikey answered.  
  
"Cool."  
  
They started to chat about other classes, and found out that Prida was in one of the top set math, and most of their other classes. They walked around the school, and Prida told them she spends most her lunchtime either up the field or in the Music department. She told them the teacher was very nice, and was called Mrs.. Smallwood. But first, she said she goes to the cafeteria first to grab her lunch, as well as bringing a little bit to eat from home. The guys realized they hadn't brought any food with them, but then Leo pulled a few notes from his pocket.  
  
"April made sure we wouldn't go hungry," he shook his head, smiling.  
  
"April?" Prida asked.  
  
"Yeah, April O'Neil, she's out aunt."  
  
"April O'Neil is your aunt? Cool."  
  
Just then, Mikey caught sight of his new friend, Matt, who waved him over. Mikey said he'd see them next class, grabbed some money from Leo and joined his friend on a bench, around the fountain in the garden.  
  
Prida then started to tell them about the school. She led them through the halls, and were passing the gym when Leo glanced in at the apparatus. His jaw opened and asked Prida if the gym could be used at anytime. She said yes, if he found the Head of the PE department. With that, Leo said he might join them later and disappeared into the gym. As soon as he had gone, Donny asked Prida about the computers she was on about before Leo left them. She told him about the Computer suites. As soon as she said this, Donny asked her where they were, and dashed off as soon as she gave him directions. Raph and Prida watched him leave. Raph had never seen his brothers look so excited about something like this.  
  
"Hungry?" Prida asked.  
  
"Staving."  
  
Prida led the way to the cafeteria, where they grabbed what they wanted, paid and walked out. It was a nice day so she suggested a walk up the field would be nice.  
  
Being uncomfortable around just a girl, Raph didn't argue, or say anything, but followed her. But she wasn't like most girls, who would flirt and giggle, which drove Raph crazy. She seemed cool and uninterested in impressing him. Basically, she just wanted to make friends. Raph appreciated that.  
  
~  
  
Okay, before any one gets ideas, this is not going to turn mushy. I don't want Prida and Raph getting soppy and disgusting, just becoming really good friends. Okay? Okay . . . Lol, sorry about that . . . thanks! 


	6. Not the best First Day

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
(okay, I'm fond of my Prida character, and I just want to show how their friendship starts to build. ((Nothing wrong with the name 'Ralph' btw))  
  
~  
  
Lunchtime passed rather quickly up on the field, in the warm sun. Other people also chose the grass to lounge on, and eat their dinner.  
  
Raph found himself listening to funny tales told by Prida. She was a nice girl to talk to, and Raph found it surprising that he enjoyed her company. He laughed as she told him a funny tale of when she was little. He just felt uneasy, thinking about what she would ask him that he wouldn't be able to answer.  
  
"Had any humorous events in your childhood?" Prida asked, throwing a grape into the air and catching it neatly in her mouth. She was laying on the grass on her side. Her lunch in front of her.  
  
Raph stared at the grass. "I did blow up my brother's computer once, and broke the TV; but half of it was Mikey's fault."  
  
Prida snorted. "You blew up the computer?!"  
  
Raph grinned. "Yeah, what's wrong with that?"  
  
"Oh, nothing at all!"  
  
They fell silent as they ate the last of their lunch, watching people go bye. A group of girls passed them, staring interestedly at Raph, and disgustedly at Prida. They laughed unpleasantly after whispering something, looking back at Prida, then walked on.  
  
"What was that about?" Raph asked. "Who are they?" He stared at their backs as they walked away.  
  
"Just my arch enemy, Ci Ci Harrington and her gang of tarts." Prida said, throwing dark looks at their backs.  
  
"Not all people get on well with each other in this place, then?"  
  
"What do you mean? If Principle Simmons filled you in with trash about this place then forget it. There are some nasty people in this school. Those slags are one lot, then there's Jo Tooks, who's after me . . . He's a sicko really . . . Creeps me out a bit." She laughed and shook her head.  
  
Raph frowned. "What?"  
  
"I've never told anyone that he creeps me out," She sighed. "I'm a private person, most of the time . . . Most of my friends turned to tarts just like Ci Ci and her gang. I've always been considered a . . ." She trailed off, gazing at the grass.  
  
"A what?"  
  
She shook her head. "Because of my eyes . . . I've always been considered a freak, I get told it half the time by Ci Ci."  
  
Raph stared at her, thinking. "You're no way a freak . . ." He said.  
  
Prida smiled. "Thanks, but I have to agree with her . . . I mean, who on earth has purple eyes?" She spoke as those this was a long topic that had started ages ago, and obviously hurt her.  
  
"Purple is a nice colour . . ." Raph told her jokingly, trying his best to be nice without accidentally offending. "Yeah, it's unusual; but you're . . . er . . . unique." He had never really been good at cheering people up, and had never dared to try, but something about the way she referred to herself as a 'freak' made him, for once, try a softer tone. Again, as she smiled at him, he turned away, pretending to watch the school; embarrassed he'd said anything like that.  
  
"So what's it like, being identical quadruplets?" Prida asked, noticing how he seemed to be wishing to change the subject.  
  
Raph shrugged. "Well, we get to impersonate each other," he grinned mischievously. "It's also quite funny how the teachers can't seem to get our names right . . . Donny's been called Leo and Mikey, Leo's been called Donny and Mikey," he stopped and looked back at the school. "No one can remember my name, which I'm glad about . . . Some idiot teacher called me Ralph, and a kid called me Rap. Gets a little irritating after a while." Raph felt surprised he was talking so much. Usually he was quiet with his brothers, preferring to just listen and observe.  
  
Prida laughed. "I think I can tell you apart. Leo is the blue one and he's slightly taller than you all, isn't he? He has a different shaped face as well don't he? Donny's the one in purple and he has a darker tan; Mikey's orange and you can tell because of the kiddish look in his face and plus all the girl stare at him; and you're red with the most, well, only freckles," she grinned. "See, I got ya sorted." She tossed and ate another grape.  
  
"You're the first."  
  
"What subjects did you take?" She asked, pulling up a blade of grass and splitting it.  
  
"PE Theory, Woodwork and somat else . . ."  
  
Prida smiled. "I took PE Theory, too, and woodwork. But I like art."  
  
They fell silent again, and a warm breeze blew past them. It blew Prida's hair up around her face, and Raph jumped as something touched his neck, then felt idiotic when he realized his hair wasn't the only one's flying in the wind.  
  
Prida chuckled when he jumped. She tossed up another grape, and opened her mouth to catch it, but Raph snatched it from the air with a smirk and threw it in his own mouth.  
  
"Fine, you want grapes, open your mouth!" Prida said, playfully. She held a grape as though she was going to throw it to him.  
  
He frowned at her.  
  
"You know the game, open your mouth, I throw, you catch?" Prida grinned.  
  
Raph smiled and shook his head.  
  
"Ah c'mon, you can be so unpredictable! One minute you're talking to me, the next you're completely shy!"  
  
"I ain't shy!"  
  
"Open your mouth then."  
  
"No."  
  
Prida was about the toss the grape anyway, but someone came striding over to them. It was a boy, with a wicked, handsome looking face, dark hair and an unpleasant grin. The sort who was voted one of the sexiest guys in school and won.  
  
"Hey, babe," he said to Prida, and plonked himself down next to her, practically on top of her. She shuffled away.  
  
"Go away, Jo," she said in a dark tone.  
  
"Why? I wanna meet your new friend," he turned to Raph. "Who're you?" He demanded.  
  
"None of your business," Raph growled.  
  
"Well if you're digging on my chick then I'll make it my business!"  
  
This guy obviously didn't know who he was speaking to, and was lucky he wasn't already lying on the floor, a part of it.  
  
"I ain't digging, so take your snotty face somewhere else, pal!"  
  
"Jo! I am not your 'chick'! Go away!" Prida said forcefully.  
  
But Jo Tooks completely ignored her, and continued to glare at Raph.  
  
"You know, that's some nerve you've got there to start a school, new, and immediately start chatting up my girls!"  
  
"JO! I am not you fricken girl so will you get lost!" Prida shouted.  
  
Raph stood up, fists balled. Man, did this guy need a good solid punch.  
  
Jo stood up as well. "Ooh, getting tough now are we?" He mocked.  
  
"If you don't get outta here." Raph promised. He had been warned by Leo not to start anything, and as much as he hated to obey, he knew he shouldn't; but his anger side was taking control.  
  
Prida stood up as well and there was a tense silence for two seconds in which Tooks and Raph glared at each other. Jo decided to leave, and grabbed Prida around her waist.  
  
"See ya later, babe," he said, and locked his mouth on hers. She seemed a little stunned to push him away.  
  
That somehow brought Raph's anger to a level he knew too well he couldn't control. He grabbed Tooks by the scruff of his neck and held him threateningly close. Prida blinked.  
  
"Listen, pal! You're really getting on my shell, so I suggest you take a hike, unless you want to be one eye ball short!"  
  
Jo might have been tough looking, but his face showed his surprise as Raph pushed him away. Tooks glared at Raph.  
  
"You'll get what's coming to you, Ralph!" He shouted, then stormed off.  
  
Raph growled. "Ralph? RALPH?! It's Raph, moron!"  
  
Prida put a hand on his shoulder, wiping her lips. "That name really bugs you, doesn't it?"  
  
Raph shook his head. He'd done it again. He'd let his anger take over. It was dangerous even to him.  
  
"Damn - sorry - damn," Raph stuttered.  
  
"Hey, s'alright. That guy needed a good threat. Never actually seen one given to him, except me, but he completely ignores mine . . ."  
  
"Does he always do that? Just come up to you like that?"  
  
Prida sighed. "Yeah . . . I tell him to stuff it, but he takes no notice . . . Thanks." Then she grinned. "You seemed really mad when he kissed me . . ."  
  
Raph stared, then blushed as red as his shirt. "I just get too angry sometimes, especially when people I hate annoy me."  
  
"Oh, one of those anger waves. Well, you've only been here one day, and already you have an enemy and a good friend, moi! Shall we go to the gym and see what your brother, Leo, is doing?"  
  
"Yeah, 'kay," Raph said, not really bothered. Why had he let his anger get the better of him? That's all he needed. Bad reports about beating up other kids, and turning into a school bully. Even the title 'bully' made him angry. He hated kids who thought they were better.  
  
As they walked back towards school, Prida frowned to herself. When Raph had threatened Tooks, he had told him he gets on his shell . . . Strange phrase. Must be something from LA. But Prida couldn't help but get the feeling that there was more to Raph and his brothers than they let on.  
  
()()()()  
  
Why hadn't they returned? It had been two days now since they went to get that pizza from the new shop Michelangelo had dragged them to. When they didn't come back the first night, Splinter had carefully gone out into the sewers, to the main manhole they use, but was shocked to find it surrounded by humans. What was going on? First his sons don't return home . . . and later Splinter finds their entrances blocked. Could his sons not have returned because they could not get down to him?  
  
Splinter sighed and opened his eyes. He had been trying to find his sons through meditation, and had sensed his oldest, in a safe place. But Leo had been too weak to respond or even know Splinter was trying to communicate to him. Splinter sensed an injury, and had sensed his other sons; all were even weaker than Leo. What had happened?  
  
A noise caught Splinter by surprise. He turned to listen better. It was voices, and they were in his home!  
  
()()()()  
  
The gym was empty when Raph and Prida walked in to find Leo, but no sooner had they walked in and looked around, than he came out of the office to the right of the gym.  
  
"Hey guys," Leo said, smiling. He thought it a bit unusual for Raph to still be with a girl, but then his brothers weren't anywhere and she was probably showing him around. "What's up?"  
  
Raph shrugged. "Nuttin', what did ya find out?"  
  
"Gyms open at lunchtimes on Thursdays, and after school till five, and on Saturday," Leo said.  
  
"You guys like gym?" Prida asked, eyebrows raised slightly.  
  
They both nodded.  
  
"You work out a lot, don't you?" Prida asked slowly. She could tell they didn't look like normal bandy teenager.  
  
"Yeah, we like to . . . Keep in shape . . ." Leo said, tempted to start explaining how they couldn't exercise in their dojo, because a) it was underground in the sewers, and b) it was with a four foot something tall rat, who was their Master.  
  
"Guys! Guys!"  
  
They all turned around to see Donny and Mikey rush into the gym, flushed faces and wide eyed.  
  
"What? What is it?" Leo asked, immediately sensing something in their worried tone.  
  
"I think you'd better see something," Donny said solemnly. He and Mikey made sure they were following, then led them out of school.  
  
While they were walking, in the direction of the street outside of school premises; Leo asked:  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"We got a call from April at the school reception," Donnie said. "She told us the police had found where the criminals were hiding . . . IN the sewers . . . She said it'll be on the news in a few minutes, then we rushed to find you, it might be on now . . . There's a TV shop here . . ."  
  
While they crossed the street, Prida frowned and swallowed all this information. This seemed important to them. But what was important about a few criminals hiding in the sewers? What did it mean to them?  
  
They crossed the street and turned the corner. They were met by the muffled but recognisable sounds of a TV. The News was on, and they stood and watched as a woman with short, blond hair spoke.  
  
"The police have claimed to have found the hiding quarters of the criminals who had broken into more than five jewellery stores this week," the reporter said. "it was discovered this morning, and police are positive they had been using it long before the start of robberies. As you can see, it seems to have been occupied more than a few weeks, or even months . . ."  
  
She droned on, but now the guys weren't listening. On the screen now was a picture of an underground, sewer home. A familiar couch and armchair were in sight, and a few empty pizza boxes were sat on the old, familiar table. The guys stared at their home on TV . . .  
  
~  
  
Thanks for reviews, SFAM (lol, I knew I'd use this). 


	7. Ut Oh, Not Good

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Mikey's mouth fell open. His home was on TV! But that wasn't what made his jaw drop; it was the fact that if their home had been discovered, then so would their Master! Or would he?  
  
Leo backed away from the shop window and turned to run, but Donnie grabbed him.  
  
"Leo. Hold on!" Donnie said.  
  
"Donnie! We have to get down there!" Leo cried. "I don't care about the workmen!" He broke from his brother and started to run again. His brother's followed.  
  
"It would have said something if they'd found him, wouldn't it?" Mikey asked, running alongside Donnie.  
  
"I don't think so Mikey," Donnie said. "They would probably take him . . . to . . ." He glanced worriedly at Mikey. "Leo stop!"  
  
They all stopped and stared at Donnie.  
  
"Do you think they'll let us down there anyway?" He asked. "What if they haven't found Splinter? You know he's better than us at detecting humans in our home . . . He would have been long gone . . ."  
  
Prida frowned. She knew they had all forgotten she was there. But this was odd. What the hell were they talking about? Was this Splinter one of the criminals?  
  
"You know he's more capable than we give him credit for," Donnie continued. It was true, and they all knew it. Because of their Master's old age, or maybe just because of Leo's over protective attitude, they all underestimated him.  
  
Leo sighed. For once, he felt lost. They couldn't get down to their home for the first time ever. They couldn't get in contact with their Master, and he them. It was driving Leo crazy. Who knew that being human could be great and frustrating at the same time? But, Leo had to admit, if they were turtles now, they'd be even more stuck with little places to go without being seen.  
  
Prida looked at each of their faces. What was going on here? It made sense that this Splinter might be one of the criminals: He was hiding down in a sewer; and these guys were worried about him being caught by the police. She also got a better judge of Raph's brothers: Mikey seemed to voice out the questions; Donnie thought rather than acted, and Leo seemed to decide mostly what to do. Raph was quiet, listening. She glanced at him questioningly.  
  
In all the confusion of those few minutes, Leo and his brothers had completely forgotten about Prida. Only now as he was worriedly staring around did he notice her again, and his heart just beat ferociously against his human ribcage. How much had she already put together? They had just spilled a lot of details out and she had heard everything.  
  
Mikey and Donnie also noticed, and now all the guys were staring at each other and at Prida, realising they had forgotten her and blurted out things that would only confuse her, and maybe urge her to find out more.  
  
"Okay," Prida said slowly. "Who are you guys? And why was that so important - what was on TV? Are you guys keeping one of those robbers in hiding . . .?"  
  
The guys all looked at each other.  
  
"Listen, I ain't gunna tell no ones . . . But what was said just back there sounded strange." Prida said quietly.  
  
"You have no idea how strange our life really is . . ." Leo said softly, shaking his head.  
  
Prida frowned, and was about to ask what he meant, but someone behind Leo, Donnie and Mikey made her gasp. From a door behind them came Principle Simmons.  
  
"Guys - hide!" She hissed, and they all dashed around the corner and pressed their backs against the wall.  
  
"We can't go out of school?" Mikey asked.  
  
"Not without a pass," Prida said, checking to see where the man had gone. He was heading back to school, and at a glance from her watch, Prida knew they should be in school as lunch was nearly over.  
  
Leo detached himself from the wall and faced his brothers and Prida. He turned to her.  
  
"Listen, please, just forget what we said, it's too complicated, forget it . . ." He turned and strode away, heading for school. He was still going to try and get down to his Master. If the police had found the lair, they would keep it in check, that means Splinter would have been forced to move somewhere else, and Leo worried about him.  
  
Prida looked at the other three. They were watching Leo with slightly sad faces. What was going on with these guys?  
  
()()()()  
  
After school, the guys all drifted along with the stream of kids making their way out and home. Forgetting where they were, the guys bent down next to a manhole and were about to pull the lid off when one of the teachers asked them what the hell they were doing. The guys took a few seconds to realise why the teacher hadn't screamed at them, and a few more to notice what they were doing. They quickly stood up and said that they felt ill, while he told them not to come in tomorrow wearing those ridiculous bandannas. Then they scampered, ran home and didn't stop until they were inside the door.  
  
"Okay . . . need . . . drink . . ." Mikey gasped, and made for the kitchen.  
  
Leo moved into the middle of the room. "Guys, you know we can't just stay here . . . We have to find Splinter, no matter IF the sewers are being patrolled by the cops." Leo crossed his arms. He was their leader, and for that he must make their right decisions for the good of his brothers, his Master and any victims.  
  
Mikey came out of the kitchen with a can of coke. "I agree . . . I don't wanna leave him down there with humans running around."  
  
Donnie looked at them. "You realise that when he sees us, he's not seeing Leo, Don, Mike and Raph . . . he's seeing four human kids . . ."  
  
"I know . . . We'll tell him . . ." Leo nodded. "He's smart Donnie. He'll probably recognise us without the use of eyes . . . but with his mind or something . . . hopefully."  
  
Raph listened silently from the door, his mind on the situation Splinter was in. Their Master, down in the lonely sewers by himself, worrying sick about his sons, with humans wandering around and in fear of being spotted. Raph knew that situation . . . and it wasn't nice. He, like Leo, intended to get their Sensei out of there before anyone sees him. But before Raph could open his mouth and agree, the door behind him was opened and he jumped out the way as it was flung open. He fell into Leo, who caught him.  
  
Casey stood in the doorway with April at his side. April entered, with a worried smile at the guys.  
  
Casey lifted a finger and pointed at them. He looked at April.  
  
"This . . .? This them?" He asked, eyebrows raised.  
  
April nodded. "Yes. Now, sit down Casey, we have an even bigger problem."  
  
Casey stared at the guys, looking at each of their faces, trying to find something that tells the other apart. They looked so gad damn the same to him! If they hadn't had their bandannas on then he wouldn't have know who was who. He slowly seated himself on the sofa, and Mikey sat next to him, looking at April.  
  
"Did you see what was on the news?" April asked them.  
  
"Yeah, and we decided we have to get down there and bring him up here," Leo said.  
  
"You can't," she said, shaking her head. "The police are arresting anyone who shouldn't be down there . . . but I think I might be able to get down . . . say I'm doing a report or something, and I'll find him."  
  
Leo shook his head this time. "No, we're going down there too."  
  
"Whoa, whoa, hold on," Casey held up his hands. "This is about Splinter, right?"  
  
They all stared at him, and he put his hands down.  
  
"Just making sure," he said.  
  
"You might get caught," April said, turning back to Leo.  
  
"Nah, remember, Ape," Mikey chirped up. "We're N-I-N-J-A. Ain't nobody gunna catch us."  
  
April sighed and crossed her arms. If it wasn't one thing it was another. This week was definitely the strangest yet.  
  
()()()()  
  
The torchlight danced over the sewer walls, and Splinter watched it from his hiding place. It seemed very strange indeed to be hiding in your own home. Not one chance had popped up for him to dash out of the hole in the wall and make for the tunnels, away from the danger of being seen. But the police had been doing very well at patrolling the place. And Splinter knew that he couldn't stay here much longer. He was too worried for his sons. He had not heard of them in what seemed like years.  
  
The old rat had been listening to everything that had been said down here. The first shock was when they discovered the dojo area, and all the weapons. The cop who had found them had got on his radio straight away and reported into it that the criminals may be heavily trained in Martial Arts. Then they had dusted the place for fingerprints, and he could do nothing but hide there while they made discoveries that all over the place were just three-fingered handprints, and a few five- fingered ones.  
  
But what made Splinter heart jump was when they investigated further into one of his sons' bedroom, which two shared. One cop had found a sketch under the bunk bed, and called out the name that was signed at the bottom: Michelangelo. They took the name down, and sealed the picture as 'evidence'.  
  
But soon, after many more shouts and findings of his home from the cops; there were only two left in the lair area, and as he heard, two more out in the west area tunnels. His one chance to make a dash was when one of the remaining cops turned to the other and started to talk, his torch held away from Splinter.  
  
The Ninja Master dashed from his place with mouse-like silence, or rat-like silence. But unfortunately, that cop chose that moment to turn around, smiling at the joke his partner had just told him. His smile vanished quicker than a ninja as he saw the shadow dart from it's place only a few meters away from him. He called to his partner and started to chase after the small, strange figure.  
  
"Hey! Hey you! Stop! I said FREEZE!"  
  
Splinter kept his calm, but he could feel his heart beating so fast in his chest it felt as though it could do the running for him. He cursed himself for the bad timing, but he could do nothing now except hope to outsmart this cop with a little ninja skill.  
  
But before he could do anything, five shadowed figures appeared in front of him. One he recognised as April, the other four he couldn't see. But they disappeared to his side, and the next second he heard the cop shout in alarm, then a thud. His partner then broke the silence, but another thud and everything was silent.  
  
"Splinter! Splinter, are you alright?"  
  
He could tell it was April now. She was hugging him, and he was trying to catch his breath. He needed a rest, a sit down, but before he did anything, he turned to the four human figures behind him. He could sense something very familiar from them. As his eyes adjusted to the dark light here, he could tell they were four, young boys, all identical.  
  
The one in a blue top took a step forward, and the others followed. They seemed to be holding their breaths, watching Splinter's face for his reaction. If one at all.  
  
Splinter exhaled. He knew. "My sons . . ." He whispered.  
  
Their held breath disappeared and small smiles appeared on their faces. They walked up to him gingerly.  
  
Mikey held Splinter's hand, showing his Master his. Splinter looked at it, then turned back to his sons. Mikey hugged him, then Leo and Donnie.  
  
"Master, we were so worried for you," Leo said softly, one arm around his Master's shoulder, the other over Donnie's.  
  
"I'm glad you're okay!" Mikey said, and sniffed. "You're okay!"  
  
They broke apart, and Splinter looked at the remaining son who had not rushed forward, but held back, obvious to his posture that his Master seeing him in his present form embarrassed him.  
  
"Raphael . . ." Splinter whispered, his voice sore from nothing to eat and drink in a while.  
  
Raph walked forward, looking at Splinter's feet. "Sorry Master, I-"  
  
Splinter cut him off softly. "Why apologise, my son? I am just glad that all of you are in good health . . . I missed you all . . ." He did not know the reason for his sons to be like they were, but he was thankful that they were before him now, in any form, rather than they not be there at all.  
  
Raph allowed the smallest smile, and hugged his Master gently.  
  
"I missed you," he whispered in the rat's ear.  
  
Splinter smiled.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay, gunna end this bit here. Sorry it's shorter than the rest, but at least it's here!! For you, Splinter, I had to end it to get it up quickly, so you could read it! Okay, more to come, thanks for the reviews, and SFAM, heh. (hexAdecimal, you're really going to give me what I want . . . Um . . .¦thinks with evil grin¦ nah, too nasty, lol, just a review to tell me what you think would be great, and I'm thankful!) 


	8. Home

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Getting Splinter out of the sewers and up to April's apartment wasn't easy or quick. They had to wait for the other cops to pass in the tunnels, then they had to check if the coast was clear up top. Luckily Casey was waiting for them in the street they came into. There were a few people wandering around, but they soon shifted when Casey loudly announced that there was free pizza around the corner. Then they had to stop Mikey from falling for it, blinded by his stomach! After a few cold moments (it was cold that night) of checking again, they helped Splinter up through the hole, where he was lifted and cloaked by Casey, who had one of April's warmer coats for him. The group quickly replaced the manhole lid after they had climbed out, and rushed off to April's apartment.  
  
As they climbed the stairs to April's building, one of the doors opened and an old woman stood in the doorway. She glanced up, saw a long rat nose poking out of a hood, shook her head and closed the door again.  
  
April dropped her apartment keys as she hurriedly tried to find the right one, and a few seconds later she had unlocked the door, let Splinter, the guys and Casey in, checked again to see if anyone was looking, and followed them in, locking the door behind her.  
  
Leo sighed, smiling. "You're safe," he said to Splinter, who was having his coat taken off by Mikey, who then hugged him.  
  
"Ah, thank you, my sons," Splinter smiled. "I think a good rest will do me well, I am feeling very drained. Forgive me, but you may tell me of your situation when I wake."  
  
The guys agreed, feeling bad for their Master, as he had most likely been up all the time while he was trapped down there. It now felt like a massive boulder had been taken off their backs: Their Sensei was now safe, and with them.  
  
Splinter was guided to the guestroom by April, and had he not been so tired, he would have remembered to tell his sons never to use their whole names in school, and for Mikey to choose a different one. But the tired rat lay down on the bed and was asleep within seconds.  
  
April closed the door softly so it wouldn't click; smiling and happy he was safe and well. She walked back into the room, to find Casey had taken up the couch with Mikey. Leo, Donnie and Raph were still stood. From the looks on their faces they were lost in thought.  
  
"Hey guys," April said to them. "It's alright now, he's safe. You can stop worrying."  
  
The three looked up and smiled, and Leo uncrossed his arms.  
  
"C'mon, I'll make you some food. I bet you guys are starving." April made her way to the kitchen.  
  
"I'll help!" Mikey jumped to his feet and followed her.  
  
"Wow, guess this rescue really lifted your spirits!" April laughed.  
  
Casey, who had been quiet, stared at them all, as he had been doing since he saw them.  
  
"Erm guys," he drew their attention. "Wanna tell me, you know, what happened . . . why the hell you're all like that?"  
  
"Nah, let him guess," Donnie grinned.  
  
Casey raised his eyebrows. Donnie sighed.  
  
"Okay, we'll tell ya, but don't ask us WHY it happened . . ." And Donnie went into detail about that night three days ago, when they chose a new pizza shop to go to, and how a couple of idiot men were arguing. Donnie didn't miss one detail, and his brothers knew why. They knew that if Donnie told Casey about everything, then he might notice one little detail that they missed, which could help them explain their problem a little better.  
  
A few minutes later April and Mikey brought in the dinners, and it was then that Mikey said he didn't need proper food, but pizza. The others actually shouted at him not to buy another one.  
  
"We don't wanna end up being whales, Mikey." Raph said, then shoved the spoon in his mouth.  
  
"But Donnie said that it was just that ONE," Mikey whined. He was craving for pizza.  
  
"Er, just to be sure, Mikey," Donnie said. "Don't."  
  
Mikey's shoulders fell, but he ate his dinner in quiet, trying to forget about pizza, and cheese, and ham, and - He bit his lip.  
  
"So you guys have to go to school?" Casey said, swallowing his spoonful, smiling evilly.  
  
"Yes," Donnie said sullenly.  
  
Casey laughed at them, while they stared at him with faces saying 'you carry on, you're gunna get it'.  
  
"So has Raph got any detentions yet?" Casey asked, grinning.  
  
"Shut it, Gak face," Raph said, taking Donnie's word. His brother looked at him and he shrugged. Raph noticed how the others were looking at him. He frowned. "What?"  
  
You . . . don't HAVE . . . any detentions," Leo asked, eyeing him. "Do you?"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Yeah, I forgot, how'd school go today?" April asked.  
  
"Unusual," Donnie said, then started to talk about what they learned (or what he learned alone) in Maths and Biology. A few minutes later he said, "it's really quite interesting, and they explain some of it differently to how I learned it in the lair. I mean, half the kids didn't get any of it because they don't explain enough, and when the teacher asks a question, I'm the only one with my hand up . . . the kids are a bit dim."  
  
They all stared at him.  
  
"What?" Donnie was not bragging, but what was wrong with all of that he just said?  
  
"Don, zip it," Raph said.  
  
Donnie shrugged and finished his food, which he had put on hold while he spoke. While he was silent and his brothers talked with April and Casey, his mind went back to that night when they walked into the new pizza shop three days ago. There had been a few customers, well, a lot considering the size of the place; and there had been those two men who struck up the fight, and they were with that woman. But they couldn't have had anything to do with their situation as they weren't near the anchovy-free pizza, except when they fell into that man in the trench coat . . . the man in the trench coat; he seemed very secretive to Donnie. His mind whirled as he focused on that man in his mind. Yes, he had so many pockets it was unbelievable, but something told Donnie that he had something to do with their strange transformation into human. His brothers hadn't even mentioned him while they had been discussing it so many times. Now there was a new lead, and Donnie knew he had to go back to that shop.  
  
"Donnie?"  
  
Donnie was wrenched from his thoughts by someone calling his name. He looked up to see his brothers, April and Casey staring at him.  
  
"Hey, you alright?" April asked. "You've been quiet for ages."  
  
"Ages?" Donnie frowned.  
  
"You've been quiet for at least an hour."  
  
"An hour?"  
  
"Whoa, what are you, some kind of crazy parrot," Raph joked.  
  
"I think you're just tired," April said. "I know I am. I think we should hit the hay."  
  
They all agreed, and Donnie fell back into his thoughts again. An hour? It took him that long to realise the man had to be part of their problem.  
  
Since Splinter took the guest room, Leo said that he and Donnie would sleep on the couch and the floor. Then Leo whispered to April that he'd let Donnie take the couch as his brother seemed too distant, and they thought all this might have been getting a little too much for him.  
  
Donnie didn't hear this, and didn't hear the soft tone in Leo's voice when his brother offered him the couch a few minutes later.  
  
"Night guys," April said, hugging Leo. She walked up to Donnie and lifted his chin with her finger. "Hey, you with us in there?" She joked.  
  
"Sorry, I guess I'm just tired." Which was true, he suddenly felt like a tonne of bricks that wanted to collapse.  
  
"Hey, it's okay. I can understand that," April smiled and hugged him. Then she left with Mikey and Raph to go upstairs, and she could be heard arguing with Raph to let her hug him.  
  
Leo watched his brother as he settled himself down on the couch with the blankets April had given them.  
  
"Night, Don," Leo said, making himself comfortable on the floor, but looking at his brother.  
  
Donnie only made a small noise out of his throat that would have been a 'goodnight' if his mouth hadn't have been closed. A few seconds later he was asleep, his thoughts were too heavy for him and pulled him down.  
  
Leo watched his brother for a few seconds, then laid down on the carpet next to the couch. He wasn't really looking forward to his second day of school; and something still nagged at him. Prida, Raph's friend. She had heard them talk about Splinter. Just how much she might have pieced together wasn't known, but hopefully she should have dropped it and forgotten. But Leo couldn't worry for much longer. His brain told him to shut down, and Leo couldn't disagree. Within a few seconds he was asleep soundlessly.  
  
  
  
Okay, sorry about there not being much action in here, but somehow I thought this should go in somewhere. Thanks for the reviews, you're too kind people! SFAM, and more to come, and more action in about chapter 50, joke, but I want this to be long, but not boring . . . I'll try . . . Thanks! (thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, thanks, and thanks . . . Does that beat the 'thanks' count? 


	9. Back to Normal? Nah

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
For the first time in three days (now four), the guys felt like this morning was almost a normal one. They didn't have to worry about anyone's safety, and all they felt nervous about was school again. But before anything could take them for the day, their first job was to explain to Splinter just what had happened to them.  
  
As any other school day would have it, they had to get up early. Splinter wasn't told about the sudden earliness, but he was not one to stay in late, and was up just after the guys and April. Casey had left early, asking April to tell the guys to quit snogging all the girls as soon as they get in school. They didn't take the joke too lightly when she told them, grinning.  
  
"Splinter!" Mikey smiled. "Morning!" He hugged his Master.  
  
Splinter had to stop himself from jumping back. He was still not used to his sons as humans, and his instinct against them told him to always be wary.  
  
"Good morning . . . ah . . ." For the first time Splinter didn't know which of his sons he was speaking to. For at night they all wore a baggy top and shorts, which were just patterned and did not show their colour.  
  
Mikey frowned. He, too, was not used to this. "Me Mikey."  
  
Splinter smiled, and laughed lightly. "Ah, sorry, Michelangelo . . . good morning."  
  
Mikey beamed and seated his Sensei down in his favourite armchair.  
  
Leo and Donnie were still asleep, but as Mikey had made so much noise when he greeted Splinter, they were awaken, and brought mugs of steaming tea by April, who then gave Splinter his. Mikey fetched his own.  
  
"My sons, you have no idea how strange it is this morning to see you all like this," Splinter said smoothly. "Now, I am awake and ready to hear this strange explanation I feel you will give me."  
  
Leo and Mikey sat down on the floor, while Donnie sat on the couch and told Splinter about what happened. He was helped by Leo and Mikey, and some by April about how the idiot cop suggested school, and they were forced to go. Also about how they had to carry on going until they could change back.  
  
"It's weird, I mean, even we don't know why or how," Leo said thoughtfully.  
  
"Well, can you remember when we were in that pizza shop?" Donnie asked, looking at Leo and Mikey, who nodded. "Well, remember when those two blokes started a fight? They pushed that old man in the trench coat into Mikey. He touched Mikey, didn't he? Maybe it was the man . . ."  
  
They all fell silent as this new information settled in their heads.  
  
"Just by touching me?" Mikey asked, frowning.  
  
"Maybe, I dunno . . . But that seems to fit. I mean, we hadn't seen the likes of him every before had we? And it just happens to be on the night when you just happen to say 'I wish' and we just happen to turn . . ." Donnie plucked his clothes. "Like this."  
  
"I have to admire your thinking, Donnie," Leo smiled. "But, if this man is the cause, will we be able to find him again, and get him to change us back?" What was going through his head and his brothers' was the question, do we want to be changed back?  
  
"I don't know, but I think when we have the time after school, that we should look, patrol," Donnie suggested. He frowned at himself for sounding so normal when he talked about school.  
  
"Indeed wise, my sons," Splinter spoke up. "I shall do all in my power to check on the news or such for any reports of strange, heavily dressed men . . . or any unusual activity."  
  
They bowed to him. "Thank you, Master Splinter," they chorused.  
  
Splinter chuckled. "But that doesn't give you an excuse to miss out on homework." He joked.  
  
They stared blankly at him for a few dazed seconds, then their faces split into grins and they shook their heads.  
  
"Where's Raph?" April asked.  
  
Mikey grinned, and jerked his thumb to the stairs. "Said he was sick."  
  
April shook her head. "You guys should be going soon, you'd better wake him."  
  
"He can hear us, you know," Mikey smiled. "We could hear most things up there."  
  
"Well then if he wants to stay in sick, he'll have to take this foul tasting medicine, go to the doctors, and get double homework for missing the first lot, which I can assure you, you will get!" April said loudly.  
  
Then came the annoyed sounds of a sleepy Raph.  
  
"I'm getting . . ."  
  
They all chuckled and a few seconds later Raph appeared, his footsteps heavy as he walked slowly down the stairs.  
  
"Oh yeah, forgot to tell ya," Mikey grinned mischievously, glancing at Raph. "Raph made a girlfriend called Prida!"  
  
"Liar Mikey! She's not my girlfriend! She's just a friend . . ." Raph looked too tired to beat Mikey up, which was why Mikey said what he said.  
  
"You?" April asked, smiling and surprised. "Mr Grumpy? Made a friend? And a girl friend by that?"  
  
"Drop it, I'm not in the mood," Raph growled, and fell on the couch next to a smiling Donnie. April fetched him some tea, and he gulped it down thirstily.  
  
The phone rang and April walked away from Raph and picked it up.  
  
"Hello?" She answered, then started to listen to whoever was on the other end. "Oh . . . what a shame . . . and you say one of their names must be . . . right . . ." she turned and stared directly at Mikey. "Are you sure? It could just be the name of the sketch . . . oh, the police are certain . . . right . . . the name is Michelangelo . . . okay, I'll be down there in a few minutes . . . yep, sure . . . See ya." She put the phone down and joined everyone else in staring at Mikey.  
  
"What?" He asked, looking at April.  
  
"They found one of your sketches in your room," April said, sighing. "They're sure you name is one of the criminals."  
  
"Oh great . . . more problems," Raph sighed.  
  
"Not necessarily," Donnie said slowly. "No one knows Mikey's whole name. If we just pretend it's short for Michael, no one will be any the wiser."  
  
"My sketch!" Mikey moaned. "Which one is it?"  
  
"I'll have a look today, and if I can," April said, "I'll get it back for you. They might be done with it and throw it away."  
  
"Okay," Mikey said.  
  
April looked at the clock, it was half eight. The guys should be in school in ten minutes. She informed them, and with a groan they got up and readied their bags. No bandannas on around their heads (The eye-holes were unseen because they were squished together), as they had been warned and didn't want any fuss.  
  
"Get what you want to eat, Splinter," April said as she dashed about getting ready. "There's tea in the pot if you wants more, and I'll have to lock you in, and give the guys the spare key."  
  
Splinter nodded, and soon they were all ready and in the front room. The guys were standing very embarrassedly with their bags on their backs (in the case of Raph, just standing with no bag).  
  
"Return home with no troubles, my sons," said their Master.  
  
They bowed, and then left. April locked the door behind her.  
  
They followed her down the stairs and to her car, as she had told them she would give them a lift, and they were now running late, her as well as them. The car ride was another nervous one, but no way near so as yesterdays. April dropped them off at the corner, told Mikey she would try and get his picture back again, and drove off to the office.  
  
"Great . . . another day of this," Raph said as they walked in school, the bell going off inside, signalling the registration.  
  
Inside, they quickly climbed the stairs to their form room (which they had been told to go to by Principle Simmons), and found they were indeed late.  
  
"Oh well," Donnie said as they sat down. "A late mark on the second day isn't that bad."  
  
"I don't really care," Raph said, sounding as though he really meant it, and he did.  
  
Unfortunately the teacher heard that remark, and Raph was given a warning. He crossed his arms, ignoring his brothers' grins, while the register was being called. The bell sounded a few minutes later, and they got up to walk out, waiting politely for everyone else to file out first. Mikey was stopped by a girl who waned to know his name.  
  
"Oooh, Mikey, you got dates now?" Donnie grinned.  
  
"Only the best do!" Mikey joked.  
  
"You make me sick!" Raph said, making a face.  
  
The four bros walked over to the maths block, reluctantly. Donnie had already made 'friends' with the teacher, and didn't really want to push the matter by being late, so he hurried his brothers.  
  
"I hate Maths," Mikey moaned.  
  
"Only because you can't do it," Leo said.  
  
"Exactly, I hate it!"  
  
When they walked though the door, the class had not yet settled down, but the teacher, Mr Reily, seemed to have been waiting for them, and loomed over them as they walked in.  
  
"Mr Don," he said in an unpleasant tone. "I believe you are being moved from my group to a more higher one. You are to go down the corridor to Room 46."  
  
Donnie looked at his brothers, who shrugged. Then he left the room and made his way down the corridor.  
  
Mr Reily turned on Leo. "And you, you are to go to Room 49. The teacher insisted when she looked at your work. Well then, get a move on!"  
  
Leo looked at his two brothers, and walked out the room, glad, like Donnie, to be rid of such a teacher. If it hadn't of been for the bad teacher to get away from, Leo wouldn't have tolerated being spoken to like that.  
  
Reily turned back to Raph and Mikey.  
  
"Well then, find your seat and shut your mouths . . . Now your boffy brothers have gone I only have two of you to recognise . . . Mr Mike and . . . Rick -"  
  
"Raph."  
  
Reily's eyes narrowed. "Weirdo name," he muttered, which no ordinary student should have been able to hear; but they had.  
  
"Ut -Snotty - eh!" Raph concealed his insult in a fake cough.  
  
Unfortunately Reily heard and Raph received detention faster than he could have sneezed.  
  
"No go and sit at the back, now!" Reily snapped at them both, pointing to the empty back row.  
  
"Miserable git face," Raph growled as he sat down next to Mikey in the seats they chose yesterday.  
  
The rest of the lesson wasn't much better. He gave the whole class a lot of work to finish till the bell, and read some of Raph's answers out to the whole class.  
  
"Just lemme punch him once in the face," Raph growled, as Reily walked back to his desk, smirking.  
  
"I don't think you'd ever see lunchtime again, along with break if you did that," Mikey said, shaking his head. Then he noticed one of his friends were in this lesson with him. He called out to them and started chatting, but Reily noticed and walked over.  
  
"Wasting time chit-chatting will earn you detentions in my class, Mr Mike," he said nastily. "And you don't want to join your brother after school do you?"  
  
"No Sir," Mikey said with an irritated sigh.  
  
Get on with your work, the both of you," Reily snapped, and walked away to someone with their hand up.  
  
"You'd think, that the amount of times he comes over here, that we're his best pick-on subjects," Raph growled.  
  
At the end of class, Mr Reily set homework, but Raph refused to write it down and do it.  
  
"This is ridiculous!" Raph said. "We'd never BEEN to school before so why the hell should we put up with it now?!"  
  
"Raph, shut up . . ." Mikey said, stretching his words as Reily was glancing at them, as the class filed out. "Let's just get outta here alive first . . ."  
  
They managed to escape the horrible teacher and his classroom, and found Donnie and Leo stood in the corridor, obviously waiting for them. They stopped chatting when Raph and Mikey joined them.  
  
"Hey, my class was great!" Donnie grinned, but it vanished when he saw the sour look on Raph's face. "Ah, yours obviously wasn't . . ."  
  
"Don't talk to him about it," Mikey said. "He's already got detention after school."  
  
Donnie laughed while Leo scowled.  
  
"Why'd he get detention?" Leo asked.  
  
"Called the teacher 'snotty'."  
  
"Hey, he insulted my name!" Raph shouted, and people stared.  
  
Donnie steered his angry brother out the corridor with the other two following.  
  
"Let's just get to next class before you get any more bad things." Donnie smiled.  
  
Raph jerked his arm from Donnie's. "No! I am not putting up with this school any more! Or it's snotty, git- face teachers! I am outta here!"  
  
Raph turned to leave, but Leo grabbed him tightly round his arm.  
  
"Raph, if you go home they'll wanna know why and probably call April," Leo said. "They might even send someone home to ask about you, and we don't want anyone near Master Splinter, for his safety. So STOP thinking about yourself and just put up with what you have to do!"  
  
Raph stared at Leo, who stared right back. This wasn't a nice place to be put, as Raph knew. He knew Leo was right, but he hated it. Not really deciding what to do, Raph pulled his arm from Leo's grasp and stepped back a few steps and turned around, but as he did, he knocked someone down who was walking past him. That person was thrown to the floor, landing on their back, while Raph landed on top of them, his stomach on theirs, stopped from knocking that person on the head by supporting himself on his elbows either side of the person's head!  
  
Raph's nose was centimetres from Prida's, and he stared at her, shocked, as she stared back, wide-eyed.  
  
Leo, Donnie and Mikey stopped gawking, then sniggered.  
  
Raph blushed as red as his shirt. "Errrrrr -"  
  
"Oh! Sorry Raph, my fault!" Prida smiled embarrassedly from underneath him.  
  
"Raph please!" Mikey giggled. "Not in the corridors!"  
  
Raph jumped to his feet, still standing over his friend, and helped her up.  
  
"Wow Raph, easy tiger!" Donnie laughed.  
  
Realising he was still holding Prida's hand, Raph quickly let go and put his head down, his face was burning. How embarrassing!  
  
Prida's face had turned red, too. "Er, um, sorry - about that, Raph," she smiled apologetically.  
  
"Hey, wait a minute," Mikey said as Prida stood up straight in front of them. "How did you know Raph was Raph? People can never tell!"  
  
"Oh, erm, you all have some differences," Prida smiled. "I just noticed them properly. Er, I think we're late for next class, we should move it."  
  
Leo, Donnie and Mikey nodded, and looked at Raph, who avoided their eyes and followed.  
  
This lesson they were all in the options they chose. Leo, Raph and Prida were in PE Theory (with a groan from Raph), Mikey in Art, and Donnie in Geography.  
  
"Just keep them off each other till school's finished!" Mikey joked to Leo, but loud enough for Raph to hear; and had to run inside his room before Raph could get hold of him.  
  
Donnie grinned and disappeared into his own lesson.  
  
Donnie's Geography class was quite pleasant, and was seated next to a boy called Tyson Zera, who he made friends with rather quickly. His teacher was also nice, which was a relief, and the rest of the class were rather friendly.  
  
--  
  
Mikey's Art Class was fun. The teacher was very nice, and he was sat next to his friend, Matt Hill. The subject they were looking into was Surrealism, and Mikey found this fun, because he could choose any strange view and draw it. It was a creative lesson, where he could properly use his imagination.  
  
--  
  
PE class was okay for Leo, but Raph grumbled. Already he had received a warning from the teacher not to forget his kit, which he had, but then Leo had told him he had brought him an extra T-shirt and shorts from home; and that steamed him, as Leo was always perfect.  
  
Their teacher wasn't the nicest, but was better than Reily. He was called Mr Johnson, and was a bit strict.  
  
As they were sat in the Sports Hall, the boys and the girls had been put together, and Prida found herself in-between Leo and Raph as they kept arguing. But this only made Prida laugh, but she had to muffle it.  
  
The teacher ordered them to get in groups of four, a mixture of boys or girls. A girl from Prida's changing rooms joined them, asking first if she could. They said yes.  
  
"I'm Roxanne Johnson," she introduced herself, and sat opposite Prida, looking at the two identical kids on either side.  
  
"I'm Prida, I think we met before at lunchtime, you aren't in many of my classes."  
  
"No, I'm only in about two."  
  
Leo added himself to the conversation. "I'm Leo." He smiled kindly. "He's Raph." He motioned with his head to his brother, who wasn't paying attention.  
  
They were soon given an activity to do; each group did something different. Leo's group got to do long jump and running. They had to record their distance, and see if they could beat it by trying three times. They were sent onto the field where the long jump pits were, and the track was.  
  
Leo and Raph soon started competing against each other, and soon it turned to an argument.  
  
"Hey!" Prida called over them. "Let's not rip each other's throat outs."  
  
"Fine, I'll do my third one, then Raph can finish his," Leo said, a glance back at Raph. Leo moved to the beginning of the run-up path while they watched.  
  
"He really gets on my nerves," Raph grumbled, and Prida smiled and shook her head.  
  
"I'm an only child, I have no idea what it's like," she said.  
  
"Sometimes wish I was."  
  
"Ah, c'mon, you don't mean that."  
  
Raph preferred not to answer that, and watched as Leo took his run up, and jumped an amazingly high and long leap.  
  
"Whoa . . ." Roxanne and Prida both awed, and Roxanne checked to see how far that one got.  
  
"You just beat your last six meters! Just past!" She exclaimed.  
  
"Whoa . . ." Prida said again.  
  
Leo dusted his sandy hands and joined them on the grass.  
  
"Your turn, Raph," Leo said, looking at his brother, who wasn't looking at him.  
  
"Roxanne hasn't had her turn yet," Raph grumbled.  
  
Leo shrugged and watched as Roxanne took a good run up, and a good jump too. She checked her own measurement, but didn't say what it was.  
  
Raph allowed Prida to go next, and she took a good jump as well. She called out her measurement, which was three metres fifty, then plonked herself down on the grass next to Raph.  
  
But at that moment, Mr Johnson called them to change to their second activity, and Leo looked back at Raph, before moving off to the track.  
  
Raph walked casually up to the run-up, making sure Leo wasn't looking, feeling a bit funny in front of Prida, who was smirking with her arms crossed; and ran to the pit, taking off and soaring through the air to land dead on the six and a half metres maker. Smirking, he got up and followed after his brother and Roxanne, Prida shaking her head, grinning at him, followed.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Gotta . . . Leave it . . . there! My fingers are killing me! Okay, tmnt_luver should get some credit for one lovely part in this, thanks for all those great reviews. SFAM = Sorry for any mistakes (I'm lazy and can't be bothered to write it all out) And sorry, I should have said about the bandannas, they wear them around their foreheads, like the Foot around their heads, get me? And the eyes holes can't be seen because the material is wrapped tightly (to fit) and the folds of the material covered them. Got that? Good, good, glad you asked me. Thanks again! I think I've left some things out of this, so it MAY be replaced, I'll tell ya if and when. More coming . . . 


	10. School only gets better

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
The fire alarm rang loud and shrill through Vinilla High, and all classes stopped for a second, realized what it was and were ordered to line up and prepare to leave the building for the field, which was the only place the whole school could fit in orderly lines.  
  
Outside, already on the field, Leo and Raph stopped trying to outrun each other on the track and turned back to the class. The kids were looking at the building, and this directed Leo and Raph's gaze as well.  
  
Teachers and students were filing out of the doors of the school up near the buildings, and were making neat rows of kids. The PE class started to make their way up, too.  
  
"Hey, guys," Prida called. "C'mon, we have to line up."  
  
They frowned.  
  
"It's a fire alarm! Just a practice, but we still have to line up in our classes," Prida explained, and grabbed their arms, pulling them towards the crowds of kids.  
  
The practice was noisy, and took some time to get all the kids organized and the registers said, to check if everyone was present. They lined up in the classes they were in last, and had to stand in a line in alphabetical order.  
  
In Mikey's class line, he didn't care if there was a real fire or not. This was so cool to be included in school events and thing. He chatted rapidly to his friends, Matt Hill and a new friend whose name was Dean Johnson. They hardly noticed the register being called, and forgot to answer their names. He only looked up when one voice got through his excited head, and he looked up to see Leo, Raph and his friend Prida looking his way. Mikey waved then turned back to his friends.  
  
"Your brother, Mikey, is really talkative, ain't he?" Prida laughed.  
  
"Yeah, it would be a miracle if he shut up for a few minutes," Raph groaned.  
  
Leo smiled and was pushed by the other members of the class into his place in the register line. He was only three away from Prida, who was right next to Raph, who was right next to Roxanne (there were only two 'R's in the group).  
  
Soon their names were read, the alarm turned off, and the nearest lot of classes to the school began to walk back inside.  
  
Mikey and his two friends were talking so much, and lost in their own conversations, that when their class began to walk in, a few minutes after the bells were turned off, they totally blocked life outside their chat and were the only ones left from their class, still talking on the field.  
  
"Mikey!" Leo yelled, aware that a few of the kids around him were laughing at his brother.  
  
Mikey looked up, frowning.  
  
Leo pointed behind Mikey, and his brother turned around, gave a loud 'oops!' and dashed back into school with his friends.  
  
Prida laughed, and started to move back up the field with the rest of the class. She challenged Leo to a race up to the start of the track, and she and him sped off.  
  
//  
  
As that was second class, break time was next. The bell rang, signaling the end of morning lessons, and the kids broke out of the prisons, and ran to their lockers or the break cafeteria.  
  
Donny walked out his Geography room with his friend, Tyson Zera. On his other side was a girl who was about as smart as he was, called Amba Jasins. She was a pleasant girl, who, like Donny, didn't boast about her brightness. But as they got to the locker rows, she said she had to go to the library and left them.  
  
"Hey, here come your brothers," Tyson pointed out behind Donny, who was stuffing things into his locker. He turned around and saw Mikey's orange shirt through the crowd. Also, what was funny, he could see Prida's purple eyes perfectly clear from this distance. She was smiling, walking at the side of Raph. Donny turned back, grinning. Those two had made good friends, which was weird, as Raph's attitude usually pushed people away. But then again, he didn't seem to give her his attitude as strongly as normal.  
  
"Who's who?" Tyson asked, watching them, and smiling apologetically.  
  
"The one in orange is Mikey," Donny said, slamming his locker. "Red, Raph, and blue is Leo."  
  
"Hey, Donny ma man!" Mikey said as he stepped up to his brother. "Wassup?"  
  
"The ceiling," Donny muttered. "Hey Mike, this is Tyson." He nodded to his friend, who was staring at is brothers.  
  
"Yo, dude," Mikey said, smiling.  
  
"Hey Prida," Donny smiled. She'd become a good friend to him as well, he found himself thinking. She had that friendly affect on people, like Mikey.  
  
"Hiya Don," Prida responded, then frowned as she saw someone walking her way through the crowd of kids.  
  
Leo leaned against his locker, arguing with Mikey about something, while Raph started to open his locker. Prida had now disappeared, unnoticed.  
  
"I wish you wouldn't draw so much attention, though," Leo said in an undertone to Mikey. "We're trying to keep low here, and there's you who stands out through everyone, and then there's Raph who's already got detention -"  
  
"Like it was my fault," Raph grumbled.  
  
Leo sighed at him and turned back to Mikey. "It would be best if you kept your noise down a bit."  
  
"What about Donny?" Mikey asked.  
  
Leo frowned, and Donny, who was talking to Tyson, glanced at him, and then turned around again.  
  
"What about Don?"  
  
"He's drawing just as much attention to himself as me," Mikey said, defiantly. "He's already well known by half the classes he's been in because he's smart."  
  
Leo sighed, but as he was about to argue back, he saw something in Raph's locker, that Raph tried to hide from view quickly.  
  
"Raph!" Leo hissed. "Why the hell have you got your Sais in your locker? If anyone saw them -"  
  
"Chill, Leo," Raph frowned at his brother's overreaction. Then he seemed to realize someone was missing. "Where's Prida?"  
  
His brothers looked up too, noticing she was missing.  
  
"She was walking with the guy with black hair," Donny called over his shoulder, then carried on talking.  
  
Mikey looked at Raph. "Aw, looks like she's taken, sorry dude!" And he ducked and sheltered behind Leo, looking over his shoulder.  
  
"Shuddup Mikey!" Raph growled. "If you make one more crack about it, then you're gonna find yourself shell-less!"  
  
His brothers didn't see anything wrong with this threat - until a few seconds later when they realized what he had just shouted out.  
  
"Raph! Just keep your mouth shut! You're gonna make people suspicious of us soon!" Leo frowned angrily.  
  
"Geeze, Leo, you think every damn kid in this school is listening!" Raph raised his voice, so that kids stared a little. "I doubt anyone will want to listen to the moans of -"  
  
"Ah, Mr. Rick." An oily voice said behind him.  
  
Raph spun around. "RAPH!" He bellowed, totally wild and mad that people kept getting his name wrong, and so caught up in his loud tones. And he wished he hadn't shouted when he saw who it was he had just deafened.  
  
Mr. Reily narrowed his eyes evilly and angrily. He looked lost for the right words to accuse Raph with.  
  
Finally he came out with, "well if you feel that way about your name, you can write it one hundred times on my blackboard when you come for the after school detention I set you! And make that a double detention! Tomorrow night as well!" The teacher strode off, and Raph fisted his locker, actually dinting it.  
  
His brothers watched him, and Donny couldn't hide the small smile that was creeping on his lips. Mikey couldn't hold back a snort, and snorted, while Leo crossed his arms and wore an 'it's your own fault' look.  
  
Raph just growled, and avoided Tyson's eye, who was frowning over Donny's shoulder. He slammed his locker shut and leant against it, arms crossed.  
  
The bell rang for third class to begin, and the corridors emptied slowly today. They all had English now, and were all together, along with Prida, wherever she was.  
  
The classroom was a middle-sized old room, with three windows lining the far wall, and four along the back wall, looking out onto the field.  
  
They all chose a row at the back with six seats. The very first seat was taken by a timid looking boy, who had short, brown hair and seemed very shy by the way he kept glancing quickly at them as Mikey sat down next to him. There was one seat left at the end of their row. Raph was sat at the end next to it, and it was taken a few minutes later by Prida, who burst in late.  
  
"Sorry, I got held up," she panted.  
  
The teacher, who was a short, plumb woman with short, blonde hair and a kind face, signaled for them to hush. Her name was Mrs. Daubany, as it said on Prida's English book. She then called the register, and handed out new books to the guys. Someone knocked at the door, and asked for a word with her, and she told them she'd be back in a few minutes.  
  
When she shut the door behind her, the class started to buzz with talk.  
  
Mikey turned to the boy next to him.  
  
"Hi, I'm Mikey," he greeted in his friendly manner. When the boy only smiled but didn't answer, Mikey asked, "ya have a name?" The boy let out a small laugh.  
  
"Yeah, I'm Terry Wesker," he said in a quiet voice.  
  
"Cool." Mikey looked at Terry's exercise book and saw the name 'Terry Jacob Wesker' written in a small hand.  
  
"Hey, cool name, can I call ya TJ?"  
  
TJ smiled. "Yeah, sure."  
  
While Mikey had been introducing himself to TJ, across the row Leo had asked Prida where she had disappeared to and been late.  
  
"Er, oh . . . stupid Jo Tooks got in my way," she shook her head. "I'd rather not talk about him."  
  
"What'd he do?" Raph demanded.  
  
But Prida shook her head, and was saved an answer as Mrs. Daubany entered into the room again, calling for quiet. She set them some work to do off the board, and they put their heads down and did it, Donny's pen was the loudest and fastest in the class, and a few kids turned around to stare in awe as the new kid with the purple top whizzed through the work as though writing his own profile, knowing the answers already.  
  
The class was silent as it started to work, but babble broke out eventually when they knew what they had to do, and Mikey was one of those talking. This distracted Leo slightly, but Donny (who was sat in-between Raph and Leo) didn't seem to notice any noise. A few minutes later he put down his pen and turned to his brothers.  
  
"What were you saying?" He asked, smiling politely, adding himself to Mike and TJ's conversation.  
  
Mikey stared at the three pages of work in front of Donny.  
  
"You finished?"  
  
Donny shrugged. "Yeah, that was easy." He raised his eyebrows as they stared.  
  
"Donny, you're just too brainy," Prida joked.  
  
Donny tried to hide his pleased grin.  
  
"Prida, could you come up here please?" Mrs. Daubany called kindly from behind her desk.  
  
Wondering why she had been called up, Prida stood up, and with a glance at the bros, walked over to the desk.  
  
"Yes, Miss?" She asked, politely.  
  
Mrs. Daubany smiled kindly up and her, and brought forward a piece of paper with the pupils seat arrangements drawn on, (so she could name each student).  
  
Prida bent to look at the paper, and Daubany picked up her pen.  
  
"I was wondering - I just felt strange asking them - if you could tell me who was who out of the quadruplets at the back," the teacher asked in a quiet tone, smiling.  
  
Prida, glad it wasn't something bad, smiled and pointed.  
  
"That's Mikey, Leo, Donny and Raph," she said, and watched as Daubany wrote them down.  
  
"Thank you dear, it would be embarrassing to call them the wrong names."  
  
Prida spotted some felt tip pens in a tray on her desk and grabbed them.  
  
"Here," she said, and dabbed a blue, purple, red and orange spot of ink next to the right names. "There you go."  
  
Daubany laughed. "I don't know how you can tell them apart!"  
  
Prida grinned, and went back to her desk.  
  
"What was that about?" Raph asked, not realizing he was smiling because she was.  
  
"Oh, nothing," Prida said, picking up her pen and getting back to work.  
  
The class ended half an hour later, and they now had to check their agendas to see what they had. They all had chemistry, and Prida said that their room was next to hers, so she'd show them where it was. They followed her all the way out of one building and into the science block, past the Biology Room they had yesterday.  
  
"See ya later," Prida said when she came to the corridor with only two rooms down it. She disappeared inside the first, and the guys, along with TJ, walked into the room next to it.  
  
Chemistry turned out to be an unpleasant lesson, mostly because the teacher, Mr. Hodcroft, was like Reily, and loved to pick on the new kids. Halfway through the lesson, he stopped to ask a question about covalent bonding, and picked on Leo to answer it. He wasn't too happy when Leo gave the correct answer.  
  
"What a sour face," Mikey said as the class ended and the level of noise turned up, drowning Mikey's insult out from the teacher.  
  
His brothers agreed, and they left the classroom into the hallway, where they waited for Prida.  
  
It was now lunchtime, and Leo remembered that he had wanted to go to the gym, as it was Thursday.  
  
"See you guys later," Leo said, and walked off down the wrong corridor, and ended up being lost a few minutes later, but helped kindly by a few older kids.  
  
Back in the corridor, Prida walked out and smiled at them, asking if they had a good class, and where Leo was.  
  
They decided to visit the Music Room, as Prida insisted they go there to eat lunch, after they had gone to the canteen.  
  
Having gotten their food, they made their way to the back of the school, to the isolated rooms at the end.  
  
"Hi Miss!" Prida called as they walked into the long, Music Room.  
  
Already in there was a middle-sized woman with a very kind face, much like Mrs Daubany's.  
  
Hello, Prida!" The teacher, Mrs. Smallwood answered. "Oh, hello, who are your friends?" The teacher stared slightly as she saw the guys walk in after Prida.  
  
"Oh, this is Donny," Prida pointed out. "Mikey and Raph."  
  
Mrs. Smallwood smiled at them, and the told Prida she had to go to a meeting for a short while and could she look after the room while she was gone. She collected her bag and left.  
  
Prida went over and sat on one of the tables, resting her feet on a chair. The guys stood there.  
  
"Sit down then," Prida said, and began to eat her lunch.  
  
After making themselves comfortable, talk turned to friends, and Mikey talked about his new friends. He had already made three good ones.  
  
"Yeah but you want to hear them when they get going," Mikey laughed. "They're as mad as me!" He started gibbering on, and they all found themselves laughing at his happy personality. Sometimes his brothers forgot just how happy he made them when he showed it.  
  
But the conversations darken a bit when Donny asked Prida who Jo Tooks was.  
  
"He's a nobody," Prida said, smiling fading. "Just a stupid, selfish, big-headed snot-ball pig who thinks he too good for everyone."  
  
They all stared, and Donny made a face, regretting he asked her. But Mikey came to the rescue and saved the happy conversations from slipping. Soon, as he was happy to see, he had them laughing again.  
  
But lunchtime ended too quickly, and too soon were they walking back to their form rooms to get registered for the afternoon, where Leo received a late mark for coming in after it was taken.  
  
"Sorry - I was late - "Leo panted, obviously having legged it to registration. " - I was - Caught up - in something."  
  
Raph smirked, glad the perfect brother had got a late mark, and couldn't be perfect at everything. Leo frowned back at him.  
  
The last two classes they had were Business Studies, and the end class was different for them all. Leo went to graphics, along with Donny; Mikey went to Food tech, and Raph took Woodwork, meeting Prida in the room.  
  
Mikey was happy to find TJ in his cooking lesson, but wasn't to thrilled about having the 'big-headed' Jo Tooks in his class.  
  
Tooks was sat opposite him in the room, and kept throwing dark looks at Mikey, who wondered what on earth he'd done to have that kind of attitude thrown at him.  
  
Halfway through the lesson, Mikey didn't have to wonder anymore, as Tooks got up from his seat with his other nasty friends, and walked over to Mikey, heading for the file paper that was on the desk next to him.  
  
"Still hangin' around with my chick?" Tooks asked, giving Mikey the evil eyes.  
  
Mikey stared, wondering what the hell this guy was on about.  
  
"Don't look so dumb, Ralph, I know she's been hanging around with you ever since you came here."  
  
Mikey realized now. "It's 'Raph' you idiot, and I'm not him, I'm Mikey."  
  
Tooks narrowed his eyes at him, then grabbed a sheet of paper and stalked back to his desk, heads low as he talked to his rough-looking friends, staring at Mikey.  
  
"Weirdos," Mikey muttered, turning back to TJ, who had been very quiet. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Nothing," TJ said. "I just . . . don't like him. He's not exactly nice."  
  
"Hey, don't let him get to ya," Mikey said kindly, and TJ smiled.  
  
"Who was he on about?" TJ asked Mikey, as they got down to writing some details out of a book about cooking.  
  
"Prida, probably," Mikey guessed. "Thinks Raph's been digging on her. She told us she hates him."  
  
TJ nodded, and started to tell Mikey, timidly, what he had seen between her and Tooks before in school when Mikey and his brothers hadn't been here. Mikey listened, thinking to himself her ought not to tell Raph, or he would be jailed for murder if he heard this.  
  
The class finished nicely, with the teacher babbling on to Mikey about how she had come across triplets and had never been able to tell them apart. When the bell rang, she stood up from her perch on the end of Mikey's desk and shouted over the noise not to forget the work for next lesson.  
  
"Hey, do you walk home?" Mikey asked TJ.  
  
"Yeah, I have to. My dad's at work till six."  
  
As he was saying this, Mikey could see Leo and Donny making their way around the corner of the corridor they had come out into.  
  
"What about your mom?" Mikey then saw Raph behind his other two brothers.  
  
"I don't have a mom," TJ said. "She died when I was little."  
  
"Oh, sorry," Mikey said, sympathetically.  
  
A spiteful voice behind him made him turn around.  
  
"Oh yeah, I heard, you guys don't have any parents at all, do ya? Ha, I thought I'd heard the story of the year."  
  
Tooks was smirking, along with his gang, behind Mikey.  
  
"I guess they killed themselves 'cause they couldn't cope with four identical freaks like you." Tooks laughed.  
  
Unfortunate for Tooks, Leo, Donny and Raph heard as well, and Raph stormed up to him, fire blazing in his eyes, and grabbed Tooks by the shirt collar, lifting him off the ground with one hand.  
  
"Say that again and I'll knock you so far your family won't recognize you!" Raph bellowed angrily.  
  
Tooks' gang appeared baffled as what to do, and only clenched their fists, uncertainly.  
  
Leo quickly pulled his brother and Tooks apart, and Tooks glared angrily at Raph.  
  
"You wanna watch it Raph!" He yelled. "You touch me and I can have you thrown in jail! My dad's a cop! And if I tell him that you even scratched me he'll have your sorry ass behind bars!"  
  
Raph made another attempt to throttle Tooks, but Leo grabbed him and held him back, while Tooks jumped slightly, and he and his gang strode off, casting evil eyes back at them.  
  
"Raph! Will you just control the urge to kill someone?!" Leo shouted. "You're gonna land us in too much trouble! We're meant to be keeping low here." He let go of Raph as his brother jerked away.  
  
"C'mon, let's get home," Leo suggested, eyeing Raph. "Master Splinter will want to know how the day went, and we have to ask him if he found anything."  
  
"Raph can't," Mikey said, stepping closer with TJ at his side.  
  
Leo frowned. "Why not?"  
  
"He's got that detention, and that one tomorrow after school as well."  
  
Raph cursed and turned away from his brothers.  
  
"You should go, we'll tell Splinter where you've been." Leo said, and he motioned for Donny and Mikey to leave, before Raph could argue or refuse to go. The three disappeared around the corner, making their way home.  
  
Raph knew that he would get in trouble with Leo and Reily if he didn't show up, and slowly made his way to the Math block. He thought of all the names he could write about the git-faced teacher on the board, instead of his own name, but knew he'd get a lot more detentions that a week's worth for that. Raph sighed, and found himself in front of the Math door quicker than he would have liked.  
  
The door opened when he stepped up to it, and Mr Reily stared at him, an unpleasant smile on his rotten face.  
  
"Ah, Mr. 'Raph' has arrived." He said. "Come in and start on your words, I have to go somewhere, and will be checking every word to make sure you have spelt it correctly, wrote neatly, and did all one hundred - and it will be up to two hundred if I hear any complaints," he snapped as Raph opened his mouth to complain.  
  
Twisting his mouth into an angry snarl, Raph moved in the room, while Reily walked out.  
  
There was two chalk sticks on the teacher's desk, and Raph was tempted to pick them up, snap them in half, and then crunch the bits up. But he walked over to the desk and picked them up. Holding them tightly, he began to write his name on the board in his untidy scrawl, small enough so he might be able to fit the other ninety-nine on.  
  
He stopped writing and listened, as some voices could be heard in the corridor, around the corner. Raph sighed and carried on writing, but the voices got louder, and now Raph could recognize on of them. He threw the chalk stick back on the desk, and walked over to the door.  
  
"Go away -"  
  
Yes. It was definitely her voice. Raph walked silently out the door and peeped around the corner, hand on the wall.  
  
Prida stood with her back to him only a few meters away, and in front of her stood Ci Ci Harrington, as it said in pink letters scribbled on her bag. Also with her was her other friends. They were stood at an angle to Prida, so they couldn't see Raph, who frowned and listened.  
  
"Yeah but, how is it a weirdo like you can hang around with boys who are just too good for you?" Ci Ci's cruel voice was cold and full of envy.  
  
"Shut up Ci Ci and leave me alone, go home to your wonderful pink room," Prida said in a low voice.  
  
But Ci Ci carried on. "I mean, I have one reason; it's because they're new and they don't really have anyone else to show them around school. They're just using you, they'll ditch you as soon as they've made friends with better material."  
  
Her friends giggled evilly, and Raph growled quietly.  
  
Prida sounded hurt when she spoke. "You're just jealous, Ci Ci. I'm not gonna sink to your level and start saying things like that, but I will say that you're just too tarty to make real friends."  
  
She obviously hit target there.  
  
"Don't start calling ME names! I mean, who's the freak around here? You and those purple eyes! I mean, c'mon! What are they, contacts? No one has purple eyes unless they really are weird! I bet those guys noticed already, and can't wait to ditch you! In the time they've been here, they're already popular around school, and do you really think they'd want to hang around with you?! Totally embarrassing to be hanging around with the likes of you, and be popular!"  
  
Raph stepped out from behind the corner to lean against the wall, arms folded. He cleared his throat and said casually:  
  
"Actually, the only thing I would be embarrassed about would be if I hung around with YOU."  
  
Prida spun around, surprised to see him there. Ci Ci and her gang stared. The girl made a face, surprised he had said that.  
  
"You're new, you'll see who's worth hanging with around here," Ci Ci said, once side of her mouth trying to smile.  
  
"Already have, and I can see you aren't on that list," Raph kept a straight face.  
  
Prida smiled thankfully at him, and turned to see what Ci Ci and co. would react like. They all turned up their noses and strode off. Prida turned back to him.  
  
"Raph . . . thanks," she said quietly, and surprised Raph to see her with tears in her eyes, looking red.  
  
"Hey, forget what they said," Raph said. "They only know how to be snobbish."  
  
The tears fell loose and marked her face as they fell. She sighed, and shook her head.  
  
"They're right," she said quietly. "I'm a freak because I have purple eyes . . . it's just weird and I know that . . ."  
  
Raph suddenly felt really sad for her. Her, a freak?  
  
He walked up to her and lifted her chin.  
  
"Hey, what happened to tough-girl Prida?" He smiled, trying to cheer her up (hey, he wasn't used to this). "You know you're worth more than them . . . I'd . . . much rather hang around with you."  
  
Prida knew he was trying to be comforting, and smiled. Then she looked up at him, and then wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him, letting her tears soak into his shirt.  
  
Totally dumbstruck, Raph stood there for a second, arms held. But he gently put them on her back, resting his cheek on her shoulder, and listened to her quiet sniffs.  
  
"I'm more of a freak than you . . ." he said, without realizing what he was saying. So many times he had felt like this, but couldn't show it. He knew Prida didn't like to be like this either.  
  
Prida opened her eyes and frowned. "Why?" She asked softly, voice muffled a bit as she was pressed into his shoulder.  
  
But before he could make something up, a voice shouted to him from behind, and it wasn't a nice one.  
  
"Raph! Get in this classroom now!" Reily was back, and Raph was in trouble as he had only written one word.  
  
They quickly broke apart, and Prida wiped her tears away with her hand.  
  
The teacher strode up to them, face angry.  
  
"Stop smooching with your girlfriend and get back in this classroom now!" He pointed to the door.  
  
Raph, who was still facing Prida, back to Reily, smiled embarrassedly at her, and she him. Then he turned to Reily, glaring.  
  
"After school detentions do not mean you snog your girlfriend in the hallways!"  
  
"I wasn't snogging her!" Raph shouted, face now bright red, mouth open in anger. But he marched over to the Math door and before he went in, smiled apologetically at Prida. Reily followed him in, and slammed the door after him.  
  
Prida sighed, shaking her head. That little hug had actually made her feel much better. But she felt bad for him now. She remembered what she was in the Math block for, and went to get something she had left in one of the rooms.  
  
()()()()  
  
After the detention, Reily reminded Raph of the one tomorrow as well, and Raph growled, then walked out of school as fast as he could, making his way home on his own. His brothers would probably already be patrolling, as Donny had suggested, so Raph nearly ran, hoping to get in on some normal action. This week was just too weird.  
  
As he walked, he thought about how Prida had been called a freak. To Raph, no human was (except the Shredder), but humans could be so cruel to each other. Surprised, Raph found himself thinking about what he would tell, or not tell, Prida when he and his brothers find a way to turn themselves back and have to leave. He'd have to say he was going back to LA. But he thought to himself that seemed more difficult to say goodbye now than it would when he first met her . . . 


	11. Found

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Darkness settled around the warehouse, but through the blackness, two figures could be seen slipping in and out of the shadows. They glanced around every so often to check the coast was clear, then they disappeared into the old building, where they reported straight down to the lower levels of the building, to their Master.  
  
The Master, who was waiting silently in the shadowed depths of the basement with his highest Ninja of the clan, Tatsu, stepped forward, obvious by his silence that he was waiting to hear what his Foot had to say.  
  
They both bowed and the taller of the two disguised men stepped half a foot forward.  
  
"We have been looking, as you wished," he said. "And our scouts noticed a boy the same as the description that was given. But, there are four exact same kids, and are located in the local high school."  
  
He watched as the large, shadowed Master exhaled slowly. Then he spoke in his rough, deep voice:  
  
"It is them, then. They have chosen to hide in the large numbers of the school."  
  
He paced up and down in front of the two men, his cloak flowed windless-like behind him. Then he stopped, facing Tatsu.  
  
"They have taken the rat out of the sewers as well. And we are now not the only ones looking for the four identical teenagers . . . the police have ordered that they be brought in. Foolish as they were, seen by the police when rescuing the damn rat. It is most likely at the reporter's home. Too easy to deal with first." He paused. "They will not have their weapons in school, and are much easier targets now they are preoccupied with work. It will have to be in that time that we act. And take anyone down who gets in the way. Send one of the younger members of my clan in when the perfect times arrives. Tell him to cause a distraction . . . It will be all we need to get them . . .  
  
  
  
  
  
Sorry I changed it around a bit (a lot). But I thought this bit should have a chapter of its own. I usually don't like writing such small chapters, but this had to go here. Thanks for the reviews! 


	12. Late Home, Late Registration

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Raph returned to his temporary home at April's in darkness. It was now quiet late, and he cursed himself and Reily, as he knew his brothers would already have gone out on patrol.  
  
As he climbed the stairs to April's level, an old woman opened the door to her apartment and looked at him as she made her way past him. He stared away, frowning when she had gone past. He could still feel her eyes on him when he climbed the next set of stairs and she disappeared.  
  
"Man, some people . . ." he frowned.  
  
The door to April's apartment was unlocked, and he opened it silently, and walked in, closing it softly behind him and leaning against it. He looked at the room, which was lit very dimly by candlelight. The flickering light danced over his Master.  
  
Splinter looked up from his armchair to his late son - human son. He kept his expression unreadable to Raph, who stared at him, waiting for some lectures about getting school detention.  
  
Instead, Splinter then adopted a kind face and smiled.  
  
"Tea?" He asked, holding up his own mug, which was steaming.  
  
"Er, yeah, I'll get some," Raph said, eyeing his Master, and realising he was really thirsty.  
  
"Your brothers have gone out patrolling for the night," Splinter explained, even though Raph knew.  
  
"Yeah, I'm just gunna go join 'em," Raph said, turning to the door and reaching for the handle.  
  
"Ah, not yet, my son."  
  
Raph dropped his hand with a sigh. He knew this was coming.  
  
"Sit down, Raphael, I need to talk to you about your problem to keep you anger under control . . . Leonardo has told me of some of the things you have been up to today in school."  
  
Raph's eyes narrowed slightly. Leo, told Splinter? Man was he gunna get it when he comes home!  
  
()()()()  
  
"Man, is Raph gunna wished he hadn't missed this night!" Mikey yelled to his brothers as he downed the last stupid punk kid who were really too big for their baseball caps. Him and his group of nine had put up quite a good fight.  
  
Donnie dusted his hands and grinned and his brothers. It felt good to fight in the human forms. He felt he could move around slightly better, but if felt like he was vulnerable without his shell. These kids hadn't screamed or insulted them, as they would have, which felt pretty good, too.  
  
They had all got their weapons, belt tied around their waist, a different size now. It was still a little weird to grasp, that their weapons weren't in the exact places they should have been. Leo found his had moved on his back the most.  
  
"D'ya think these go to Vinilla High?" Mikey asked, bending down and looking at one of the faces.  
  
"Most likely," Donnie shrugged. "Or, they probably don't go to school at all."  
  
"I think we should head back," Leo said, glancing at the dark sky. "We'll take the long route, but there just doesn't seem to be any Foot out tonight . . . or that man, and we checked the shop."  
  
They turned out of the unfamiliar alleyway and headed towards April's neighbourhood, which wasn't too far away. Apart from the punk kids, no other activity had been seen by their sharp eyes in the darkness and shadows. They had been out for ages now, and Raph should have been home a few hours ago. April hadn't been home when they had left to patrol, but they had got a call from her just as they were leaving, to say she would be in late. The guys had first decided that one of them should stay home with Splinter; but their Master said he would be fine and that Raphael would be joining him in just under an hour. Before leaving, though, they had asked their Master if he had spotted anything on TV. The answer was negative.  
  
Now, they walked quickly through the streets, feeling odd to be out walking the sidewalk instead of skipping shadow to shadow. Only one or two people were still out this late, but they didn't stop to stare. The guys didn't take much notice, only to the shadows and anyone looking too shifty.  
  
April's building loomed out of the dark night as they rounded the corner, and they made their way through the door to the staircases that lead to April's. It as warmer inside, and the hallways were lit with a dim light, except April's level. They opened the door and walked in, glad of the room's heat that welcomed them.  
  
"Oh, hi April," Donnie said, as he saw her turn to their arrival and the slam of the door.  
  
"Hey guys."  
  
Leo, Donnie and Mikey moved into the room, and Mikey fell onto the couch, with Donnie next to him. Leo remained standing.  
  
"Where's Raph?" He asked to Splinter and April.  
  
"He had gone to find you, my son," Splinter said. "I see he did not."  
  
Leo frowned. He should have known Raph wouldn't have let the fact that they left him stop him from going out at all. He should have been keeping a watch for Splinter, but Leo guessed that he had thought that when April came, he didn't have to no more and split.  
  
A sudden and loud clap of thunder outside made them all jump. They could now hear the sounds of the rain beating against the roof, and the windows.  
  
"What a nice night," Mikey smiled. "And Raph's out in it."  
  
"So, did you see anything on your patrol?" Splinter asked, as his Leo sank to the floor.  
  
"Just a few punk kids, that was all," Leo answered. "It seemed too quiet out."  
  
Mikey got up from the couch to make a drink, asking if anyone else wanted one; and just as he had entered the kitchen, the front door opened and in came a drenched Raph. He was bleeding above his eye.  
  
"Okay, where were you when gangsters tried to kill me?" He accused his nearest brother, Leo.  
  
"Probably walking back," Leo shrugged. "Should have stayed with Splinter."  
  
Raph growled, and stormed further in, making his way to the stairs, but April stopped him.  
  
"Those shoes are filthy and wet, you're gunna have to take them off." She grinned at him.  
  
He pulled his shoes off and put them near the door, then ran upstairs.  
  
Everyone turned back, and sipped on their drinks that Mikey had just come through with and given to them.  
  
"So," April said, setting her mug down. "What did you do in school today?"  
  
"I hate it how you say that," Donnie screwed up his face. "It makes us sound so normal."  
  
They laughed, and Leo gave the most interesting details of the day. Then Mikey said something.  
  
"Well, you know that Tooks guy, the one that hates Raph?" Mikey asked his brothers.  
  
"Why's he hate Raph?" April asked.  
  
Mikey grinned. "Tooks likes Prida, and he thinks Raph taking her away . . . So, yeah, the guy; he came up to me in cooking class and thought I was Raph. And then, can you believe the guy came up to me when school had finished and started to say bad things about my family."  
  
"Like what?" Donnie asked.  
  
"Well, we don't have a mom, but he was saying things like our parents killed themselves just so they didn't have to put up with us four." Mikey shrugged. "I'm just glad Raph gave him what he deserved."  
  
Donnie grinned, but Leo only showed a small smile.  
  
"He shouldn't have done it anyway," he said. "He's drawing way too much attention to himself."  
  
"He caaan heeaar yooou," Mikey whispered, grinning and pointing upwards.  
  
Leo shrugged and sat back on his hunches.  
  
"So that was the reason Raph attacked him," Donnie said. He and Leo had not properly heard what Jo Tooks had said, and therefore were shocked to see their brother walk up to someone and lift them off the ground.  
  
As they fell into silence, Mikey thought he would bring his picture problem back up again.  
  
"April, why do they need my picture?" Mikey asked. "It's not as if it's gunna say who drew it."  
  
April sighed. "I don't know, Mikey. They just said I couldn't have it, and were a bit suspicious when I asked for a third time."  
  
Mikey's shoulder dropped, and his stuck his lip out. April grinned at him.  
  
"I think we should all retire for the night," Splinter spoke out. "It is late, and I'm sure you are tired from a day's work and a night's patrolling."  
  
"Actually, the work wasn't that tiring," Donnie said, lifting a finger.  
  
Leo and Mikey groaned, stood up, they rolled their eyes at each other.  
  
"Oh course not for you," Mikey said. "You don't even KNOW you're 'working'. You just see it as pen goes to paper, answers come out from nowhere."  
  
Donnie looked slightly red faced, but he frowned, trying to keep his smile from a grin. He was proud of himself, and his brothers were too.  
  
"Okay, bed you guys," April shooed them to the stairs, and Splinter smiled at his sons, and made his way to the guest room.  
  
"But April," Leo said, back to her but looking over his shoulder. "We sleep down here."  
  
April smiled. "Okay then, Mikey get up those stairs!"  
  
Mikey grinned. "Oh, yes Sir - er, Miss!" He army-marched up the stairs, with April laughing behind him. She said goodnight to Leo and Donnie, then turned the lights off from upstairs. The room fell into darkness, and soon Leo and Donnie were asleep.  
  
()()()()  
  
"Ut oh, guys! We're late!" Leo shouted up the staircase to Mikey and Raph, who were still getting changed.  
  
Leo and Donnie were ready, bags on backs, trainers on. They had Mikey's bad ready for him.  
  
It was the morning, and they were late. The weather wasn't the best, and didn't help them wake up early enough. With no sunlight to shine in and wake them, and the dark, raining day outside, it made April's apartment look as though it was three in the morning, instead of half eight.  
  
"C'mon Raph! Mikey!" April yelled, ready to go to work. "You're late!"  
  
There was a banging from upstairs, as though one of them had fallen over, then the bang of running feet and Mikey appeared, just pulling his orange T-shirt over his chest.  
  
"Thanks Leo!" He gasped as he took his bag from his brother, then bet down to do his shoelaces.  
  
"Raph!" Leo yelled.  
  
He came down a second later, not in as much a hurry as Mikey, but not taking his time.  
  
"C'mon," Leo said, and they headed to the door and Raph hopped over to them, trying to stuff his laces in his shoes.  
  
"Bye Master Splinter," Leo said, a small wave at his Master in the chair.  
  
"Goodbye, my sons," the rat said, smiling. "Have a good day." His smiled widened a bit.  
  
They groaned, knowing school could never be good, as they have experienced in the three days they've been there.  
  
April said bye then shut and locked the door. She and the guys ran down the stairs.  
  
"D'you guys get late marks?" April asked as they walked down to the main entrance to the building.  
  
"Nope, only Leo." Mikey grinned, looking at him.  
  
"Leo?" April asked, pushing the door open, and waiting for someone to walk through first.  
  
"I was in the gym, and I had to get changed." Leo explained. "Especially when you go into the changing rooms when the bell has just gone."  
  
They were walking out into the street just near April's car, talking about the teachers, when Raph stumbled and froze. They turned and stared.  
  
"What's wrong?" April asked.  
  
"Owch," Raph muttered, and put a hand on his shin.  
  
"What?" Leo frowned.  
  
"His leg," Donnie said, helping his brother stand up straight. "He's been putting too much stress on it."  
  
"Thanks, doc," Raph said sarcastically.  
  
"Well let's get in the car, then you can sit down." April unlocked and opened her car door, waiting for them to get in.  
  
Raph limped over and sat in the front. His brother hopped in the back and April in the driver's seat. Then they were off.  
  
"Is it okay?" Mikey asked, leaning forward to his brother in the front seat.  
  
"It's fine, just caught me by surprise a bit," Raph shrugged. No big deal to him.  
  
The car pulled up outside school, and they climbed out.  
  
"See you guys later," April said, then drove off as she was late for work today.  
  
Leo, Donnie, Raph and Mikey made their way into school, Raph limping still.  
  
The kids had all gone inside, and the bell had obviously gone. They were the only kids walking in, except for the secretary, Mrs Sanbury, who smiled to them as they rushed up to their form rooms.  
  
"You're late," their tutor said in a stern tone. "Hurry up and sit down."  
  
They rushed to their usual seats at the back, and Donnie pulled out his timetable straight away.  
  
"Hey, we have Games together," he said.  
  
"Games?" Mikey's eyebrows frowned.  
  
"PE, Mike, just they call it games for some reason," Leo said.  
  
"Great, just what I need," Raph mumbled to himself, but his brothers heard, and shrugged.  
  
"If it gets bad, just tell the teacher," Donnie said, leaning forward to see past Mikey to his brother in red.  
  
Raph just grumbled and looked away. His brothers shrugged at each other again.  
  
After registration, which only lasted for twenty minutes, the bell rang and the classroom emptied. The guys, along with a few others from their form, made their way to the Sports Centre at the end of the field.  
  
"Geeze man, maybe you should skip Games," Mikey suggested to Raph, as he watched him wince once when they stepped up the small step into the building.  
  
"I can survive, Mikey," Raph snapped.  
  
They rounded the corner, Leo and Donnie talking about something, when they faced a back that wasn't very welcome to join in their upcoming class: Jo Tooks was ahead of them, annoying someone his bigheaded body was blocking. The annoyed voice that was floating from in front of his was recognisable as Prida's.  
  
"Look, take a hike, bozo, I don't fancy you, I will not go out with you so just stop bugging me!" Prida sounded ticked off bad.  
  
Before Tooks could annoy her further, she disappeared into the girl's changing rooms, slamming the door on Tooks' face.  
  
He turned around and raised his eyes slightly at the four bros. He glared at Raph, then for some reason Mikey, and stalked away towards the changing rooms.  
  
"Please tell me he's not in our group," Raph said, glaring.  
  
After looking at the changing room door number on his timetable, and the number on the door Tooks had just taken, Donnie decided not to tell his brother that the answer was 'yes he is'.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sorry this has taken a while, really sorry, and thanks for the reviews. ( More coming, don't worry, this is all planned, lol. (evil laughter) Okay, thanks! 


	13. Ouchies

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Is this a double class?" Mikey asked, as he and his brothers filed out of the school Sports Centre onto the field, having gotten changed in the changing rooms and having the register taken. They were wearing their coloured T-shirts, with grey, cotton trousers.  
  
"Yeah, so break's straight after." Donnie answered, walking in-between Mikey and Leo.  
  
They had been told that the first class they would be doing Baseball. Second class they would be inside doing either Badminton, rowing, or ping-pong ball ("What the hell kinda school is this?" Raph moaned). Jo Tooks and his gang were also doing those with them.  
  
The four bros, and Donnie's friend, Tyson Zera (after catching up with them), walked up to the Baseball part of the field, where it was lined with white paint on the grass. They were following the rest of the class, and Tooks and his friends kept sniggering and looking behind at them.  
  
"How immature," Leo said, eyes narrowed at Tooks.  
  
"What? You think?" Raph said, faking his gasp.  
  
Leo ignored him while Raph smirked at him.  
  
They all reached the Baseball area, and waited for the teacher to arrive. The stood and talked, while Mikey and Raph shared their glares with Tooks.  
  
Tooks and his gang were glaring murderous at them, and the bozo only took his eyes from them to lay them on the class walking past them. It was the girls' class, and Prida was avoiding his eyes, walking on her own. Ci Ci Harrington was in her group, and she glanced at Raph before turning and talking again. Prida smiled at them, then their attention was drawn by their teacher.  
  
She was a young, athletic woman, wearing navy shorts and a light grey T-shirt. Her name was Miss Stevens, and she was much nicer than Mr Johnson, who Leo and Raph had for PE Theory. She had soon split the class up into two groups. Tooks was on the opposite group from Leo, Raph, Mikey and Tyson but on the same as Donnie. But then, the teacher thought they should have two on either side, and moved Leo to Donnie's group.  
  
The game started, and next to theirs was the girls group, who were also doing Baseball.  
  
"This side bats first!" Miss Stevens called over, pointing to Leo and Donnie's group.  
  
Raph and Mike's group took up field and base positions, although Mikey gave Raph a face that said he was the mite bit nervous about playing a game he had never played with humans before, but had seen plenty on TV.  
  
Tooks, being the bully of the group, batted first after pushing to the front. He held the bat, a sick grin on his face as though he knew this was going to be easy.  
  
But Miss Stevens had made Mikey the bowler, and Mikey wasn't going to let Tooks wear that grin for long. (He was feeling like Raph did when he spotted an annoying fly and wanted to swat it).  
  
The teacher called for the game to begin, and Mikey tossed the ball up next to him and caught it, testing its weight. Then he judged the amount of power he would lob the ball with, and lobbed it.  
  
Tooks only just brought the bat around in time, and the ball flew straight across Mikey, and to the feild behind him - right into Raph's waiting hands. He caught the ball, diving for it and hitting the ground with it tight in his hand. He grinned and flashed Tooks a glare.  
  
"Well done, R . . . Raph!" The teacher caught herself before she could say 'Ralph'. She clapped her hands once, and called for continue play.  
  
Tooks stared for a second, then slammed the bat down on the ground, and stormed out of the circle of paint to lean against the tree behind the backstop.  
  
Raph tossed the ball to a grinning Mikey, then jogged backwards to his fielding position.  
  
Mikey had bowled four times before he came to Donnie, who picked up the bat and grinned at his brother. He held the bat steady, waiting for Mikey to throw.  
  
Mikey smiled, knowing this was going to be a hit, and brought back his arm. He threw it.  
  
There was a WHACK and the next thing something in purple was running around the field at full speed.  
  
The ball had flown to Tyson, who jumped as it thudded on the ground next to him. Then he ran and picked it up, then threw it across to third base where Donnie was just reaching.  
  
The person on third base was one of Tooks' gang, and he threw himself for the ball, catching it and bringing it back to the base - just as Donnie passed and was in!  
  
His group cheered (except Tooks) and Donnie grinned. Tooks' friend wasn't happy, and threw the ball back to Mikey, lazily. The teacher was saying 'good run' to Donnie.  
  
Prida, who had been watching, smiled as she watched Tooks curse Donnie as he walked by to Leo in the line. She turned back to her game. She was in the group that was batting first, and Roxanne was with her. Her friend had just had her turn and had run the way around, dropping to the ground near the end of the line. Now it was Prida's turn. She walked up to face the bowler, picking the bat up off the ground. She held it ready, and sneaked a glance at the boys' game, but then pulled her eyes back in time to whack the ball, and send it flying around the field. She dropped the bat and ran; the wind blew her hair up as it whipped her face, and it whistled in her ears. She knew that eyes were on her, not just from her team, but from the boys as well. She made it back to the line, panting, and the ball had only just been chucked, not very accurately and flew past the bowler.  
  
A few minutes later it was time for the boys' groups to swap, so Leo and Donnie's group got to field and stand at the bases; Raph and Mikey's group got to bat.  
  
Mikey got to bat first, and stood facing Tooks, who was bowling. He flashed him a glare, and held the bat ready.  
  
Tooks gripped the ball tightly, and tossed it once, catching it.  
  
"Okay, play!" Miss Stevens called.  
  
Tooks threw the ball so fast no one but the four bros followed it through the air.  
  
Mikey pulled the bat back and swung, making a loud THACK as it connected with the ball. Then he ran.  
  
Tooks leapt into the air as it sailed above his head, just brushing past his out-stretched fingers. It went over him, then over Mikey, who was already half way. He ducked and one of the fielders ran to catch it, but missed and it fell to the ground. The boy picked it up and lobbed it to last base where Mikey was now, but he got past to home plate and scored. His team cheered.  
  
Tooks growled, and slammed the ball into his fist when he caught it from the fielder.  
  
"Well done Mikey," the teacher said, smiling. "No growling Tooks, that was fair and square."  
  
Tooks worked his face into a loathing glare at Mikey, and watched as Tyson moved into place to bat. Tooks brought back his arm and lobbed the ball so hard the air around it burnt up.  
  
Tyson felt incredible pain and the next thing he knew his eyesight had blacked out and he was on the floor, people gathering over him.  
  
"Tyson, you alright?" Donnie asked, sounding concerned. He was bent next to his friend.  
  
"Ouch!" Tyson said, suddenly feeling the sharp, throbbing pain in his head. "What hap-" He didn't really need to ask, he knew the ball had gone straight into his head and knocked him down.  
  
"Okay, Tyson, I think you'll need to go to the nurse and have that checked out," Miss Stevens said, helping him up gently.  
  
"Thanks - ouch!" Tyson held a hand to his forehead.  
  
"You okay?" Miss Stevens looked at him. "Le - No, Donnie, can you take him to the nurse?"  
  
"Sure," Donnie helped his friend get his balance, putting one of his arms around his own shoulders. They walked off slowly.  
  
"Okay, let's carry on." The teacher clapped her hands, and everyone went back to their places. "Raph you bat."  
  
Raph picked up the bat that had fallen when Tyson had, and held it ready for Tooks to get in place as bowler.  
  
Jo Tooks took his time, slowly making his way to the box and tossing the ball in the air until the teacher had to shout for him to throw. He brought his arm back and threw it as hard as he could.  
  
Raph whacked it good, and dropped the bat. He legged it as fast as he could.  
  
Tooks watched as the ball flew over to the field behind him. He turned to watch Raph as he ran past first base.  
  
But just as Raph went past second base, his leg seized up in pain and he tripped and fell to the floor, rolling before stopping, lifting his front body up on his elbow, the other hand on his shin.  
  
Leo, Donnie and Mikey ran over to him, as well as the teacher and a few other kids.  
  
"Raph!" Leo shouted, dropping to his knees when he reached his brother. "You okay?"  
  
"I'm fine, Leo," Raph said in an annoyed tone. Annoyed with his leg and annoyed that Leo had to ask.  
  
"Whoa, are we having some injuries today," Miss Stevens said, bending down next to them both. Mikey and Donnie behind her. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Noffin'!" Raph said, and got up, shrugging off Leo's help. He lent some weight on his leg, and it buckled. The teacher caught him.  
  
"I think you should get to the nurse as well, you must have pulled a muscle." The teacher looked at him.  
  
"It's his shin, Miss," Donnie spoke up. "He ripped it apart four days ago."  
  
"Yowch," Stevens winced. "Go to the nurse, let her check it out."  
  
"No, I'm fine!" Raph said. "I'll just sit out." He limped over to the trees, and leant against one.  
  
The teacher shrugged. "Okay. Right, carry on."  
  
Everyone went back to their positions, again, and the game continued. Mikey batted third time around, and made a complete lap. The ball hadn't even been picked up when he made it back, so he ran around again, with laughs from his group. Even Raph had to smile a bit. Soon it was time for first class to finish, and second to begin. They all packed up and moved back towards the Sports Centre.  
  
"Yo! Didja see me make those two laps?!" Mikey said when he walked next to Leo and Donnie, talking to Raph.  
  
"Yeah, very good," Raph said dismissively. He limped alongside his brothers as they made their way back.  
  
"Hey! Raph!"  
  
They all turned around to see Prida running towards them, leaving her group behind.  
  
"Hey Prida," Leo greeted.  
  
"Hi Leo," she said, then turned to Raph. "I saw you trip, you okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I'm fine."  
  
"What's wrong with your leg?" Prida noticed him limping.  
  
"Ripped the tissue and the first muscle -" Donnie began, but Raph held his forefinger up right in front of his face.  
  
"Thanks for the diagnosis, Doc." He said. "Shut it, okay?" He turned away from them and walked on his own.  
  
"What's up with him?" Prida asked, as she began to walk with Leo, Donnie and Mikey.  
  
"What's up with him?" Mikey repeated her. "He's always like that, you just haven't seen that side before!"  
  
"Mikey," Leo moaned.  
  
Prida laughed at the face Mikey pulled.  
  
--  
  
Inside the Sports Centre, in the hall that was massive, Mikey pulled Raph in to do badminton, while Donnie and Leo had fun with ping-pong. Since the girls group was mixed with the boys, Prida watched them all.  
  
"Ah Mikey!" Raph cried as he whacked the shuttlecock; just hitting it as he limped to the side, arm out.  
  
"Heehee!" Mikey hit it easily.  
  
Raph limped to meet it, jumping in the air. Mikey was pleased to see this was a game that Raph had got into because he wanted to beat his brother. He was actually having fun!  
  
Prida laughed as the two competed. She was sat against the wall, watching from the side of the net.  
  
"Hey Prida, wanna go?" Mikey asked, grunting as he whacked a close one that he nearly missed.  
  
"Hey, no getting out of it!" Raph yelled. "You know I'm gunna beat ya!" He ran up to the net to hit the shuttlecock, and Mikey laughed as he saw his advantage now Raph was near the net. He whacked it hard, so it flew over Raph, who had no time to run back and hit it. Instead the hotheaded teenager stumbled as he followed it backwards, and landed on his butt.  
  
Thinking he was gunna get hell, Mikey quickly held his bat, protectively, in front of him.  
  
But Raph just grinned. "That was a one off, Mikey!"  
  
Mikey wiped his brow, and smiled as Prida laughed at him. He held the bat out for her.  
  
"Here." He said.  
  
"You sure?" She asked, hand out but not taking it.  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"So I don't get to say anything about this change in opponents?" Raph asked, head cocked to one side.  
  
"You don't wanna play with me?" Prida grinned, injecting a hurt tone in her voice.  
  
Raph just grinned, and Mikey leaned over to Prida.  
  
"Go easy on him, he IS a beginner!" He muttered, loud enough for his brother to hear.  
  
"Am I gunna whoop your hide soon, Mikey!" Raph called.  
  
Mikey grinned and dashed over to Leo and Donnie, as Raph and Prida played.  
  
"Yo Mikey," Donnie said, not looking up from the Ping-Pong that he had just flicked over the net to Leo.  
  
"Who's winning?" Mikey asked, standing with his arms folded at the side of the table.  
  
"It's a tie," Leo said, eyes not leaving the ball.  
  
Since they were so engrossed in their battle of ninja ping- pong, Mikey left them to it, and walked back to Prida and Raph's game.  
  
It was unusual to see Raph getting on well with a girl, so seeing him playing a game and grinning happily was a little shocking to Mikey. He watched as they both dived for the shuttlecock. Prida was doing a tad bit better at hitting her target than Raph, who was limping everywhere, but didn't care.  
  
"Who's winning?" Mikey called, standing back behind Prida.  
  
"I am!" She called, neck craned to follow the shuttlecock.  
  
"Ah, I'm just going easy on ya!" Raph called, whacking it with a lot of power. It sailed over Prida's head, and out of her reach, but it was in and that was a point to Raph.  
  
She grinned and took it off Mikey, who had picked it up.  
  
"Thanks," she said. "This is the last point. Whoever gets this one wins!"  
  
Mikey watched as Raph served (he had his own shuttlecock), and Prida followed it like a hawk watches its prey. Her neck was aching!  
  
A shout from back over near the ping-pong tables made Mikey turn around. Leo and Donnie had finished, and it looked as though Donnie had won because he was smiling triumphantly, and spinning the bat in his hand, while Leo folded his arms, grinning.  
  
Another shout from in front of him made Mikey turn back again to Prida and Raph, as he watched the end of the game. Prida had just whacked the shuttlecock, and it sailed over the net at to Raph's left. He pulled the racket back, but not far enough and missed. He ended up on the floor again.  
  
"HA! I win!" Prida threw her hands straight in the air, and grinned at her opponent, who was still on the floor, arms folded and looking exactly like Leo.  
  
"Whoohoo Prida!" Mikey exclaimed. "High Three dudette!" He held his hand out.  
  
She slapped it. "Don't you mean high five?" She smiled, frowning slightly.  
  
Mikey's grin wavered. "That's what I said, heh."  
  
Prida smiled, but still frowned. She shook her head, and ran over to Raph. Leo and Donnie were joining them.  
  
"Hey, who won?" Leo asked.  
  
"Moi!" Prida smiled, hand on Raph's shoulder. "He was tough, but not tough enough!"  
  
"I think it was ME who went easy on YOU," He grinned.  
  
The teacher was walking over to them from another little group.  
  
"Time to pack up and get changed," she said, then went to tell everyone else.  
  
Raph wiped the sweat off his brow, and started to help untie the net from the posts with Prida. Donnie and Leo went off to pack the ping-pong table away, and Mikey picked up Raph and Prida's rackets and shuttlecocks and took them back to the store cupboard. He walked in and dumped the rackets in the basket, and the shuttlecocks in the tube. Then he turned to go back out. But just as he got to the door, Tooks appeared, and as he stepped into the doorway, the bozo slammed the sliding, heavy door shut. Mikey jumped out the way, but his foot got caught and he yelled in pain as it sliced into him. He hopped back, clutching his foot, which was bleeding through his trainers. The door bounced back open, and Tooks backed off, grinning evilly, but unsure of the damage of what he had just done.  
  
The teacher and everyone else ran to him. Leo, Donnie, Raph and Prida stopped packing away to see who yelled, then saw their brother and dropped their things, and ran to him.  
  
"Mikey, what happened?" Donnie asked, dropping to the floor next to Miss Stevens.  
  
"Ow, Ow, Ow, Ow, Ow," Mikey chanted, still clutching his foot, which was dripping with blood.  
  
"Let's get him to the hospital quickly," the teacher said, clearing people away and helping Mikey up. "That looks very bad."  
  
"Mikey, geeze what happened?!" Raph demanded, seeing the blood everywhere.  
  
"Tooks," Mikey muttered through a mask of pain on his face. Then he was lead off, hopping, by the teacher and Donnie.  
  
Raph's face changed from slightly shock of seeing blood come from his best bud, to dark anger. He spun around to find Tooks through the mass of people. He spotted him standing away form the crowd, next to his crazy gang, smirking. Raph growled and stormed through the mass of people.  
  
Leo, looking from Mikey, didn't have to wonder why Raph just suddenly growled. He knew his brother wasn't going to tolerate this. He rushed after him, hoping he could stop Raph before Tooks became a flattened human pancake.  
  
Prida turned and found them both gone. She looked for them, and spotted them making their way to Tooks. She hung back nervously, watching.  
  
Raph stormed up to Tooks, appearing suddenly out of the crowd that Tooks didn't know what had picked him up by his front clothes until he saw the face.  
  
"What the hell did he do to you, eh?!" Raph bellowed. "What the hell are you playing at?!"  
  
Tooks tried to free himself, but couldn't. "You're all weirdos!" He shouted, and kids stared. "Why don't you go back where you came from?! You-re just -"  
  
But Raph growled and brought his fist back, a good aim to Tooks' head. But Leo grabbed his arm from behind.  
  
"Raph don't!" He warned.  
  
"No! Go on! Let him!" Tooks said, eyes glinting evilly. "Yeah, and when he does, my dad can arrest his sorry ass -" He was jerked forcefully by Raph, who's teeth were barred. Leo's firm grip was still on his balled fist.  
  
"You're not worth it," He growled dangerously, and threw Tooks back. Then he turned and strode off, Leo flashing Tooks a glare before following.  
  
"They really need to be taught a lesson," Tooks muttered darkly. His gang nodded.  
  
--  
  
"Miss Stevens! Miss - where's Mikey?" Leo asked, catching up with her from her office, where she was about to phone the hospital.  
  
She looked up from the phone. "He's in the staff room, with . . . Donnie. His foot looks pretty bad, and he shakes his head every time I ask him what happened."  
  
Leo nodded and dashed out of the Sports Centre's office. He touched Raph on the arm and motioned with his head for them to go to the staff room. They jogged down the hall, until they came to a room holding Mikey, Donnie and, who could only be, the nurse. She was easing his trainer off, and Mikey was wincing in pain. Blood dripped to the floor.  
  
Donnie looked up as they came in and knelt by Mikey.  
  
"Ow," the nurse muttered to herself. "Sliced through the skin to the bone . . ." She looked at the damage through the sock. "Not good . . ." She was a pretty lady, wearing a long, white T-shirt and teal leggings. Her shoulder-length blonde hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail.  
  
"Will it be okay once the stitches are in, and it heals?" Donnie asked her.  
  
She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I don't want to touch it, so I won't take the sock off."  
  
"Mikey what happened exactly?" Leo asked, leaning forward on his knees.  
  
"That Tooks dude slammed the door on my foot, I thought that was obvious since there might still be part of my foot plastered on the edge of it," Mikey managed a painful smile.  
  
Miss Stevens came in. "Ambulance will be here in a minute." She announced.  
  
"Oh no," Mikey moaned quietly. "I thought I'd seen enough of the hospital for a lifetime."  
  
"Hey, you ain't got no complaints," Donnie grinned. "You got on quite well with the doctors."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Have-to-end-it-there! My fingers - where are they! I've worn them down! Et hem, so here this chapter, I wanna say thanks to Splinter for explaining the rules of Baseball (I still might have got them wrong, lol) Yes! I know! I'm crazy! I have never played Baseball! And thanks to tmnt_luver for a few confusing words too, lol. Sorry this was late, but its here and be happy! My back is now bent for life, and my fingers will never grow back! Thanks for the reviews, SFAM! Thanks! (more coming . . . That wasn't then end of the day btw, rest of the classes are to come!) 


	14. Exhausting Day

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
April rushed into the staff room, a worried expression on her face. She only had to walk through the door, and her eyes immediately fell on the blood covering Mikey's foot and the floor.  
  
"Mikey!" She said when she saw him. Everyone looked up. "I heard what happened! How did you do it?" She bent down next to him.  
  
Mikey, wincing in pain, looked anywhere but his foot. "Tell ya later," he said, barely moving his mouth.  
  
There were voices in the hallway outside the room, and a second later two paramedics came in, one carrying a case. The nurse nodded to them and left.  
  
"Ah, I see I don't have to ask who needs the help," the woman paramedic said as she walked up to Mikey.  
  
His foot was soon examined quickly, and the paramedics said they would take him to the hospital. Mikey asked for one of his brothers to go with him, and Donny was selected.  
  
As they were helping Mikey out of the room, Leo held at the back with April, Raph and Miss Stevens.  
  
"But, hey, since he's going to hospital, you should have that leg checked out," Leo said to Raph.  
  
"I don't think so, Leo," Raph grumbled, limping. "I'm fine."  
  
"Leo's right, Raph," April said, looking at him.  
  
"I'm fine, okay? I don't need no medical help!" He walked, or limped, faster from them next to Mikey.  
  
"Hey, how's it going, bro?" Raph asked.  
  
"As good as anyone could when they nearly had their foot chopped off," Mikey grinned, wincing at the same time.  
  
Raph smiled at his brother, then avoided the stare he was getting from the female paramedic, who was frowning at his limp.  
  
Mikey was helped into the ambulance, with Donny at his side. One of the paramedics joined them in the back, while the other slammed the door shut and got into the drivers seat. The van pulled away and disappeared.  
  
"Poor Mike," Leo said, turning around from the Sports Centre's parking lot.  
  
"Hey!"  
  
Prida was running towards them. She stopped in front of them.  
  
"Is Mikey gunna be okay?" She asked, one hand on her hip, the other hanging at her side; she was panting slightly.  
  
"Hope so," Raph muttered, still fuming inside about what Tooks has done. He wasn't going to get away with that.  
  
"Okay guys, let's get back," Stevens said, turning and walking. "It's break now, so talk then."  
  
Leo, Raph and Prida followed her back in the building, and Prida disappeared into the girls changing rooms, while Leo and Raph went in the boys. Tooks was in there, and Leo put himself in-between the space where Raph and Tooks were glaring at each other.  
  
They changed quickly, and were out of the changing rooms just as the bell went. Tooks and his gang gave a final smirk to the two bros, and walked out.  
  
"Ooo, is he gonna get it one day," Raph promised to himself.  
  
Leo shook his head and walked out the Sports Centre. He could hear someone walking behind them, then heard Prida's voice call Raph's name. She always seemed to shout HIS name. Leo grinned and carried on walking, listening to his brother's conversation with his friend.  
  
The weather was rainy now, and a cool breeze had lifted. It was dark because of the rain clouds, and it looked like the whether was showing how it felt about poor Mikey's injury. Leo stuffed his hands in his pocket, but them reminded himself of Raph so he folded them across his chest.  
  
Prida, who only had a sleeveless top on and a pair of thin pants, wrapped her arms around herself, her conversation with Raph stopped.  
  
Since it was break, school grounds filled with the buzz of talking; but since it was such a miserable day, most kids were inside, taking shelter. Some teenagers had walked out onto the field, and some were walking to and from school buildings. Lights had been turned on in some classrooms, and the lights shone noticeably from where Leo, Raph and Prida were walking.  
  
When they reached school, they were soaking wet; their hair was matted to their heads, and their clothes were a darker color than they should have been.  
  
Prida wiped her long hair off her face when they got inside, and Raph shook his head much like a dog would, spraying droplets back onto Prida. Leo did nothing to his drenched hair, but watched as Matt Hill trotted up to them.  
  
"Hey, I heard what happened to Mikey," he said, "is he gonna be okay?"  
  
"We hope so, we're not sure yet," Leo answered.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
Leo found himself telling Matt about Tooks' hatred to the four of them, and how the opportunity to hurt one passed, which just happened to be Mikey. He was telling it again, when TJ asked why Mikey had been sent to hospital. The poor guy was shaking slightly for his friend when Leo had told him about Mikey's foot.  
  
"Raph, how come there's a dint in your locker?" Prida asked, pointing and frowning to his locker, which they had found themselves standing against.  
  
"Ah, some one musta bashed into it," Raph shrugged. He didn't feel like letting Prida know he did it, might lead to questions about how he COULD dint a locker.  
  
But Prida didn't look convinced of the quick, short lie. She dropped it through, and said she was going to the Girl's Room.  
  
She was a long time in the Girl's Room, and the bell went while she was still gone.  
  
"Raph, c'mon, we'll be late for next class," Leo said, turning to go but looking at his brother, who was frowning, waiting for his friend. Raph shrugged and followed, glancing back for some reason.  
  
Next class was Math, and Leo split to go into his own room. Mr. Reily sneered unpleasantly at Raph as he walked in, alone.  
  
"Where is your brother?" Asked Reily, in an unpleasant tone, smirking.  
  
"Injury," Raph muttered darkly, not looking at the teacher. He walked to his seat before Reily could say anything insulting about Mikey, and be given another detention for speaking back, as he knew he would. He saw Prida rush past his classroom door a second after he sat down.  
  
Math was boring and very lonely without Mikey. Raph was on the back table by himself, and was quite angry about the fact that some girls on the front row kept turning around and staring, as they did all his classes. But this time Mikey wasn't there to share the stare.  
  
Because of this, Reily found this a good way to humiliate Raph, and annoy him, as there were no witnesses near enough to say he was mean to his students.  
  
And because of this, Raph got a bad punishment for flicking his pen at the teacher as he walked away smirking. Reily exploded and said that for the whole of the next classes he had with him in next week, Raph would do double work, and would provide the answers for the whole class, by reading them out. This just caused Raph to throw an erasure at the teacher (he would have thrown something bigger but he had nothing), but in his anger, he missed and it landed in the teacher's cup of coffee on his desk. The drink spattered over the side, but Reily didn't notice.  
  
At the end of class, Raph bolted out of the room, as Reily was just starting to finish his coffee; and just as he collided with Leo in the corridor, there was a sputtering from the room he had come from, and a bellow from the teacher within.  
  
"What the -" Leo frowned, but Raph pushed him and they ran around the corner - right into Prida.  
  
"Hey - what - oh, hi Raph," Prida said, as he helped her up off the floor. "What were you speeding round corridor for?"  
  
"No reason," Raph said, grinning and continuing to walk rather fast.  
  
Their next class was Physics, and Leo, Raph and Prida were together (along with Donny and Mikey), as they were in biology.  
  
The teacher was called Mr. Coutts, and he was a lanky, funny man, who most students liked. He greeted Prida nicely, and joked about her two 'boyfriends'.  
  
"Which ones're you then?" He asked.  
  
"Leo, and Raph," Leo said, motioning his brother when he said his name.  
  
"Right then," Coutts acknowledged them, nodding. "Find a seat and let's get started." He clapped his hands together, while Leo, Raph and Prida found seats on the row second from back.  
  
Physics was not easy, nor was it too hard. But thinking brains had to be on, and eyes had to be watching and taking things in. Unfortunately Raph couldn't be bothered to apply, or use, both of these, and just sat flicking bits of erasure at the floor, still steaming about Reily, and what he would have to do in the future week's classes.  
  
It was a slow class, so when the bell went, everyone looked at their watches just to see if they hadn't already gone over lunch time and into fifth class.  
  
"Thank God," Prida sighed, slinging her bag over her shoulder. "I'm starving."  
  
They made their way to the cafeteria, Prida explaining that you could eat your lunch in there, so they would.  
  
The cafeteria was a big building with slightly cracking light blue colored walls. It was full with kids, and after grabbing their dinner, they dashed to the nearest free table.  
  
Prida had gotten herself a slice of pizza and a cornflake tart. Leo had a slice of pizza with chips, and Raph had a slice of pizza with a coke.  
  
"Ya haff t' tell me how's Mikey, when ya ge' 'ome," Prida said, in-between tearing a chunk off her pizza.  
  
Leo, who was watching the kids and thinking to himself, looked at her with a blank expression for a second.  
  
"Yeah, kay," Raph said for him, seeing Leo's face. He knew what he was thinking. It was just too weird to be sat here, eating with humans. There were so many! But they were starting to get used to this.  
  
After they had finished their dinners, Prida said she had to go to the library to do some homework. Leo said he'd join her and check out Vinilla's library, and Raph said he'd join them, but was going to call April at the office and see if Mikey was okay. He was worried slightly for his bro, the wound look nasty, and Raph shuddered when he remembered Mikey's blood covered foot. Jo Tooks was going to pay for that.  
  
So Leo and Prida left for the library, which was near the main entrance, and Raph headed to the office to the phone.  
  
Mrs. Sanbury was there, cleaning her nails, and smiled up at him when he walked up to the desk.  
  
"Hello, dear," she said kindly.  
  
"Yeah, er, hi," Raph said quickly. "Can I use the phone here?"  
  
Sanbury looked as though he had asked her to kill the pope.  
  
"Sorry dear, but you can only use the phone if it's an emergency."  
  
"Well," Raph said slowly, thinking. "I wanted to see how my brother was, you heard of the accident that happened?"  
  
"Oh yes! Painful by the sounds of it, but I'm sure he'll be quite fine in the hospital, their the best in New York!"  
  
"Yeah, right," Raph rolled his eyes, "but it wasn't just his foot . . . you know? He was knocked out from the hit of the door, and the teachers were really worried for his memory . . ." Raph tried a soft, worried voice, bringing his eye brows up in a fearful frown. "I just wanted to know if he can remember who we all are . . . You know how hard it is for everyone to tell us apart . . . And he's my best buddy and everything . . . I'm sure he would do the same if that happened me . . . And I DID say I would be there for him . . ."  
  
Mrs. Sanbury's face was close to tears. Her lip was trembling at him.  
  
"Oh ok then dear!" She cried softly, grabbing a tissue. "That's so awful . . . of course you may!" She got up. "Excuse me dear," she said, then left dapping her eyes with the tissue.  
  
Raph watched her walk away, then turned back to the phone, eyes wide, and trying not to smile at the effect he had just done on that woman.  
  
"Man, it wasn't that bad a story . . . Even if it was a little untrue," Raph said to himself, picking up the phone and dialing April's mobile phone number. "Nutter . . ." he muttered. "Hope I never have to do THAT again . . ." There was a click on the other line, and April's voice came through.  
  
"Hello?"  
  
"Yo, Ape," Raph said, leaning on the desk.  
  
"Raph? Where are you phoning from?"  
  
"School, where else," Raph said, twirling the cord in his fingers, then frowning and staring closer at them, trying to imagine them green again.  
  
"They let you?"  
  
"No, but I had a good excuse," Raph grinned.  
  
"Ah, you wanted to see how Mikey's doing?"  
  
"Yeah, is he okay?"  
  
"Yeah, doctors have stitched him up, nine stitches, and said it would be fine in a few weeks. They were worried it might cause some permanent damage because it sliced his muscle in two, but then said it was okay. He's in pain, Donny's here though. He won't have crutches for it, but he can't put any weight on it. He might have a few days off until the swelling goes down, then he can go back to school, but it's up to him. They said it wasn't that bad that they had to put it in a plaster, but it's wrapped up good. So, is it dinner time there?"  
  
Raph's raised eyebrows dropped a little. "Yeah it is . . . Is there anything else you might wanna add in that little description there? You might have missed out things such as how high his screaming could reach."  
  
"Don't be sarcastic Raph," she chuckled. "Mikey wants to say something -"  
  
There was a noise, and then Mikey's voice was on.  
  
"Yo Raph? Do me a favor pal, get that git Tooks for me?" Mikey said, sounding as though he was trying to force a grin.  
  
Donny's voice could be heard in the background. "Hey, don't say that! You'll just encourage him to start a fight!"  
  
"Yeah, but at least I know that'll get the job done!" Mikey's voice said back. They both started arguing to each other.  
  
Raph smiled as he listened. At least Mikey's humor hadn't gone.  
  
When the phone conversation ended, and Raph put the phone down, Mrs. Sanbury came back, smiling kindly at him.  
  
He forced a smile back, and walked off, heading to the library.  
  
It was half way through lunch, and the library was half full. It was quite large, and had lots of bookshelves everywhere. Raph found his brother and friend at the back.  
  
Leo looked up as he saw Raph. "How's Mikey?"  
  
"He's okay enough to start giving me orders, which I would gladly obey," Raph grinned, bringing a chair from another table and sitting on it next to Prida, opposite Leo. They both had papers in front of them.  
  
"What orders?" Leo asked suspiciously.  
  
"He asked me to kill Tooks," Raph said casually, smiling.  
  
"Raph," Leo warned, knowing since he had an excuse for getting Tooks back, Raph was most likely going to do something. "Don't start anything . . ."  
  
But Raph ignored him and looked at Prida's worksheet. Leo kept his eyes on his brother's expression.  
  
Lunch ended half and hour later, and they were still in the library. When the bell rang, they packed their things and headed for the exit where the last few kids were going.  
  
"Bye Mrs. Stein!" Prida waved over to her as the left. The librarian waved back, smiling.  
  
Prida turned to Leo and Raph.  
  
"Mrs. Stein is really nice," she said. "She and Mrs. Smallwood are the kindest in this school."  
  
They got to afternoon registration, where Prida went off to her own room.  
  
Next class was Biology with Mrs. Lyne. Prida met them just outside the room, and they went in together.  
  
It was a quick class, and Leo sat by himself as Donny wasn't there, and he and Raph were still a little tight with each other. Prida moved herself from her space with her friends at the back to sit with Raph, and persuaded Leo to sit next to her (on the other side so he wasn't next to his brother). He did, with a glance at Raph, who avoided his gaze. Why does he have to be so damn difficult? Leo thought.  
  
Biology was interesting, and Donny would probably kill himself for missing it when they tell him, which Leo planned not to do. Soon the class had ended, and Mrs Lyne was yelling over the noise about homework, which Raph didn't listen to, but Leo wrote it down. His brother shook his head at him, and Leo frowned.  
  
"What's next?" Raph asked, watching Prida bring her bag to rest on her hip while she looked for her agenda.  
  
"Er . . . PSE," Prida said, shoving her timetable back into her bag.  
  
Raph frowned. "What's that?"  
  
"Personal and social education," Leo said straight away.  
  
Raph looked at him slowly. "What?"  
  
Leo smiled. "Can't you say longer sentences?"  
  
Raph's mouth fell open as that remark sank in.  
  
"I thought not," Leo said, smiling smugly and walked off to the room number he had seen on Prida's agenda.  
  
Prida giggled at the looked on Raph's face. Then she walked past him.  
  
"C'mon, Raph," she said, smiling. "Let's get ta class."  
  
Raph's fists balled, and his mouth snapped shut. He grinded his teeth and followed Prida, muttering, "he's gonna get it some time . . . after my little Tooks-bash, then it'll be a Leo-bash!"  
  
PSE was a class made up of their forms, so Prida wasn't with them. Raph had to sit next to goodie-goodie Leo, who got on with his work, completely ignoring Raph, who the teacher had sat him next to, thinking it was amazing how identical they were. The topic they were studying was Drugs, and was easy to Leo as he had always studied the dangerous chemicals and things to be wary of them in street fights. He knew more than anyone else in the class, and this just got on Raph's nerves. Every minute his brother's hand was in the air. He was like Donny!  
  
At long last the bell rang for the end of school, and the class got up and made its way out and home. Raph shoved his chair under the table angrily. Leo had really got on his nerves this class.  
  
Leo was just putting his pen away, when he turned to Raph.  
  
"You have detention tonight," he reminded his brother, who didn't need it. "Master Splinter knows you won't be in late, and I'll be patrolling, so here." He held out April's spare key.  
  
Raph snatched it with a growl and stormed off. Leo not far behind. He left without saying anything, stopped at the end of the corridor and watched Raph make his way slowly to the math block.  
  
Raph grumbled to himself as he walked down the stairs. He rounded a corner and faced Prida, who had just stopped at the sight of Ci Ci.  
  
"What's going on?" Raph asked, frowning at Ci Ci. Did she always stay after school to insult Prida?  
  
"Nothing, Ci Ci was leaving," Prida said darkly.  
  
Ci Ci smirked. "No, I was just, like, wondering why you spend so much time here after school . . ."  
  
Prida's fists balled. "None of your business!"  
  
But Ci Ci acted as though she hadn't heard her.  
  
"Could it be because your mom or dad don't greet you? Your sister beats you up-?"  
  
"Shut up, Ci Ci!"  
  
"Wha -?" Raph frowned.  
  
Ci Ci continued. "Oh, I forgot! You only live with your sister . . . parents killed themselves in that car crash didn't they?" Her gang laughed nastily.  
  
"Right!" Prida lunged herself at Ci Ci, who stepped back, alarmed.  
  
Raph, quick as he was, placed himself in-between them both before something nasty started. (And this made him cringe as this is the type of thing Leo would do, but he didn't want fights between girls in the corridors, not that he'd seen one between school girls)  
  
Prida didn't know where he had come from so fast. She stared, a little wide-eyed at him, frowning.  
  
"Hey, don't fight," he said to her, instantly ashamed he sounded like Leo. "She's not worth it."  
  
Prida just stood, fists balled, reminding Raph of himself. Prida glared at Ci Ci, who was smirking, out of reach.  
  
"What is going on here?"  
  
They all turned to look at Mr. Reily coming down the corridor. He stopped and stared, a suspicious stare. His eyes flicked from Prida, to Raph and Ci Ci, plus gang.  
  
"She was going to hit me, Sir," Ci Ci said at once, pointing to Prida.  
  
"Oh, you think that was all I was gonna do to ya?" Prida growled.  
  
"Miss Valantine, fighting is against school rules!" Rely said.  
  
"She was insulting my family!" Prida rounded on him.  
  
His eyes narrowed. "What family?" He said, nastily.  
  
Prida stared, while Ci Ci smirked, nearly laughing. Raph frowned angrily. Then Prida turned her body to the teacher.  
  
"What?" She asked.  
  
"I said, what family is there to insult? . . . They're dead."  
  
Prida's mouth opened, and she stared.  
  
"Yeah . . ." she said. "Yeah - they're dead! They're dead - in heaven! But at least they got there! You won't even pass the gate! You'd be thrown straight into Hell, where I hope you rot!"  
  
"Miss Valantine!" Reily shouted, absolutely furious. "How dare you talk to a teacher like that!?"  
  
"I dare! I dare to talk to someone who looks as if they've bin raised by bacteria!"  
  
Raph stared wide eyed, shocked.  
  
Mr. Reily was puffing himself out in anger. His face had turned red.  
  
"How dare you say that!? This will be going down on report! And detention - in my room, NOW!" He pointed back along the corridor from where he came, and stared at her, eyes popping.  
  
She glared at him, then, without looking at Ci Ci or Raph, marched down to his room.  
  
Reily turned to Ci Ci and Raph, who were staring, mouths open.  
  
"You - Raph! Gerrin my room as well, with your girlfriend!" Reily ordered.  
  
Raph didn't even look at him, but walked past him, mouth shut, taking a glance back at Ci Ci and her gang, who were smirking satisfactorily.  
  
Raph walked in the room to find Prida sat, hunched, in one of the chairs, arms folded, an angry expression set in her face. She was staring straight.  
  
Mr. Reily walked in after him, and barked an order at them to clean the board erasers, clean his desk, write fifty lines on the board, and for Prida, to pick up every bit of paper on the floor. Then he left.  
  
Raph watched the door a second after he disappeared, then turned to Prida, who was next to him, writing her lines 'I will not insult a teacher again' on the board.  
  
"Hey," he said quietly. "I didn't know . . . that your parents were . . ."  
  
She nodded. "Yeah, I live with my sister. Have done for a few years now . . . She's twenty one, old enough with a boyfriend and all . . ." She sighed. "Ci Ci's just a good-for- nothing tart . . . she's gonna be unbearable when it comes to the Prom soon . . . Show off with her date . . . Or she'll grab one of you four . . . Tooks'll be bothering me so much too . . . Don't think I can take it . . ."  
  
"Hey, now this reminds me of yesterday when I saw you with Ci Ci after school," Raph said. "So I guess here's the part where I say 'what happened to tough-girl Prida?' You forget her, she's nothing, just a bug on the windscreen . . . just wipe her aside."  
  
Prida laughed slightly, but sadly. "What about Tooks?"  
  
"Tooks . . ." Raph's tone darkened a bit, and his chalk broke against the board. He picked up the bigger half. "Tooks . . . is more like a bird on the windscreen, makes a bigger mess . . . Can't see where you're going, so . . . you need to stop the car, grab a spade and scrape it out the way . . . or if you're squeamish, get a friend to do the dirty parts." He grinned.  
  
Prida stopped writing, smiling slightly. "I wouldn't get anyone else in trouble for my problems, even though I know how much you'd like to punch his lights out."  
  
"Hey, trouble is worth it," Raph said, smiling. Then it faded a little. "But then . . ." he turned back and began to write again, slowly. " . . . I've always had to have something to take my anger out on . . . Makes me feel better . . . But I guess some consequences are just . . ." He faded.  
  
Prida watched him. His arm muscles tensed as he pressed on the board, and she found herself wondering just how strong was he?  
  
At that minute Reily decided to punish them with his presence, and glided into the room, hurrying them on and saying how slow they were.  
  
When they finished their chores an hour and a half later, Reily reminded Raph about his punishment for the pen throwing, and threatened Prida with suspension from the school if she ever talked back to teachers like she had.  
  
They left the room, rubbing their sore fingers, and Prida's back aching from bending down and picking up all the bits of paper. They walked out of the math block, and headed for the main gates.  
  
It was dark, and still raining slightly. There was still that cool breeze blowing around.  
  
As they walked out of the school gates, they were both grumbling about Reily. They reached the road, where they both took separate ways, and stopped.  
  
Prida fell silent. Her face was troubled, and she looked lost in thought. Raph couldn't help feeling concerned for her.  
  
"Hey, you okay?" He asked. Even in the dark he could see a slight sad expression on her face.  
  
She didn't give him a very enthusiastic nod, but a distracted, small one.  
  
Raph stuffed his hands in his pocket. It was now very cold. He really didn't feel like going home and facing Leo and Splinter's faces. He knew he would have to, but it didn't have to be straight after detention.  
  
"Hey, erm, you want me to . . . er, walk you home?" He asked, rather awkwardly.  
  
She stopped staring at the wet pavement, and looked at him, smiling slightly.  
  
"Yeah, kay." She nodded, and they set off, Raph started to limp noticeably again.  
  
They started talking, not much, just little conversations, but she told Raph that she lived a few streets away. After five minutes, it started to chuck it down with rain, and the wind picked up. It was now very cold.  
  
"Oh yuck!" Prida said, smiling and screwing her eyes up against the beat of water.  
  
"Yeah, 'oh yuck'," Raph was drenched. His hair was matted to his forehead, even more than at lunchtime.  
  
Prida's house came into view, as she pointed it out. It was on the corner, and was big. She ran and opened the gate, let Raph through then shut it. She grabbed her keys from her bag, and fiddled with the lock. A second later the door was open and she was waving Raph in.  
  
"Er, I should be getting back," Raph started, but Prida pulled him inside, away from the downpour, shutting the door behind her and the noise of the rain diminished.  
  
"At least warm up before you have to go out again," Prida said, squeezing her hair out.  
  
Her house was nice and warm, and the wallpaper was blue. It was nothing like a posh house, but as though someone doodled patterns on the wall themselves, and it did look very nice. It was very big on the inside, too.  
  
"Er, are you sure?" Raph asked, feeling a little uncomfortable.  
  
"Sure, I can lend you a coat, if you want, when you go back." She took off her shoes, and Raph, who felt out of place and awkward, did the same.  
  
"Hey, it's okay, you can relax," Prida said, watching him.  
  
Raph was just glad to see she was no longer sad.  
  
"My sister isn't coming home from work till late, but she would have given you a ride home," Prida said, leading Raph through the big house and to the stairs. "The towel cupboard is in my room, c'mon, I'll show you a picture of my parents . . ." She ran up the stairs, with Raph following, slowly. He was in a girl's house! How weird?  
  
Prida lead his around the landing banister, to her room, which was big. There was nothing girly on the walls or anywhere, so Raph sighed in relief, and relaxed.  
  
The whole room was blue and silver, the bed sheets, the walls, the carpet, the wardrobe (covered in blue pictures of things). There were clippings and everything blue-tacked to the walls, and a few framed pictures of a young woman, obviously her sister. Some of her with what looked like her sister's boyfriend; some had her sister, her sister's boyfriend and her in the picture. On one of them Prida looked about a year or so younger, but she looked really pretty with a perfect smile. There were so many clippings, Raph found his mouth open.  
  
"Hey."  
  
He looked over to her, from the doorway, and looked where she was pointing.  
  
He followed her finger to a framed picture next to another big newspaper clipping with a big picture on the front. He paid no attention to that once at first, and looked at the framed one. The frame had been engraved with patterns, and shone, as though regularly clean properly. The picture inside was of four, smiling people. There was Prida, in the middle at the front. She looked about eleven, and was grinning. Her grin hadn't changed much. Her sister was also a little younger than the first one Raph had seen of her. She was in the middle, just behind Prida, hands on her sister's shoulders. Then, at either side of their daughters, was a pretty woman, with redish-brown hair, and a small figure; and a tall man, with a handsome face, and dark hair: Prida's mom and dad.  
  
"That's them," Prida said, half a smile on her face, gazing at the picture.  
  
"They look like nice people," Raph said.  
  
"Yeah, they were . . ."  
  
But her voice faded into Raph's back-brain, as his eyes fell on the newspaper clipping next to the framed picture. The picture on the paper gave Raph's heart a sudden jolt, and it felt like it stopped.  
  
In the picture was four figures, grinning and smiling. Raph's mouth fell open slowly as he recognized them, even if they weren't in color. He knew the figure at the front on the left by a mile off . . . it was him . . . and his brothers where behind him, grinning, at the disco that night when they were partying, with Tokkah and Rahzar. It was the same picture that came from the paper Master Splinter held up when they got home that night. They were all in their turtles forms . . .  
  
"Raph? HellooOoo?"  
  
He shook his head and focused on Prida. "Huh?"  
  
"You looked a bit out of it then," she said, watching him. She turned to look at the picture he was starring at. "You seen that picture before?" She asked.  
  
"Er - what? No, no I ain't . . ."  
  
"Oh," Prida said, looking at it. A glazed over look fell in her eyes as she stared at it. "That picture was taken at this disco, and these were the 'entertainment crew'. But I don't think they were . . . I mean, yeah, pretty good for costumes, aren't they, but they don't look like costumes . . . I was there at that disco, it was wicked! They danced so great! It was funny . . . Then they came on stage, then this dude busted in with some green gunk . . . It was amazing . . . And Vanilla Ice played . . ." She broke off, with a small smile.  
  
Raph stared, mouth open. He had forgotten all about their pictures in the paper. And his friend just happen to have it stuck on her wall!  
  
"Er, erm, I think I should, er, get home, see how Mikey's doing . . ." Raph said, heading for the door. He noticed something on the side of her wardrobe. It was another news paper clipping, and he frowned as he read it. The title was 'Couple killed in taxi accident'. Raph's eyebrows turned up as he read it: Prida's mom and dad had been killed in the accident because of the taxi driver they had was drunk. He swerved off the road, hit by a lorry just before it crashed into a shop window. The impact of the lorry killed her father, while the glass from the shop window killed her mother. The drunk driver smashed his head on the dashboard.  
  
Prida watched him read, her sad expression back. She could tell he was sad for her, by reading it. He straightened up, still staring at it.  
  
"You want a coat to walk home in?" Prida asked, quietly.  
  
Raph turned his head to her quickly, forgetting about her for a second.  
  
"No, I'll be fine," he said softly.  
  
Despite him saying he'd be fine, she forced him in a denim coat anyway, and said goodbye. It was the weekend tomorrow, so there would be no school, and Prida said, rather embarrassedly, that he could come round as her sister was mostly always out, and she was always alone. Feeling bad, he said he would if he could, and tried not to think of the torture his brothers would give him about it.  
  
He opened her front door, and was met by a sheet of cold rain. He shouted bye, and walked down the yard to the gate. Prida shut the door.  
  
He had only been in Prida's house a few minutes, and already the roads were flooding. He walked home, not bothering to run as he would get drenched either way. A few cars were on the road, and a taxi went by. This got his mind on what he read on the newspaper clipping. How awful it must have been to receive the news that your parents have been killed. Raph couldn't imagine that, and didn't want to.  
  
In lesser time than he thought, he was turning the corner that brought April's apartment into view. Just as he ran to cross the street, his leg gave way and he fell down on the wet pavement. He quickly got back up, cursed himself, and carried on, the pain in his leg worse than before.  
  
The trip up the stairs was as painful as ever, and Raph stopped once to give his leg a rest, for a few seconds. He reached April's apartment, and took out the key Leo had given him, and unlocked the already unlocked door. He frowned and opened it.  
  
Mike, Splinter and April looked up at him as he walked in, looking at them.  
  
Splinter was in his old armchair, and April was on the couch with Mikey, his bandaged foot on her lap.  
  
"Yo dude, we were getting worried 'bout ya!" Mikey said, smile in place and looking very comfortable on the couch, nice and warm and dry.  
  
Raph stared, and blew the water off the tip of his nose. His hair was wet through, and one side of his body was dirty, where he had fallen.  
  
"What happened to you?" April asked, getting up and walking over to him.  
  
"Nothing," he said, tiredly.  
  
April took off his coat, asking him where he got it. But he didn't answer. He took off his sneakers, squeezed out his hair over the welcome mat, and trudged upstairs, where he walked into his and Mikey's room, and fell on his bed on the floor. He didn't know that school could be so tiring! And his leg was throbbing.  
  
Back downstairs April hung the coat up to dry.  
  
"Hope that's his detentions done," April said.  
  
"For Raph? Are you kidding?" Mikey laughed.  
  
"It's unusual for him to go straight to bed, and at an earlyish night for him, isn't it?"  
  
"Yeah," Mikey said thoughtfully.  
  
The night darkened, and Leo and Donny returned an hour later. There was no activity, and their searching was pointless in the downpour, in the cold and in the pitch-black night. They all hit they hay early, glad it was Saturday tomorrow . . . 


	15. Saturday: Food

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Saturday morning was a rainy, but sunny day, and no one in April O'Neil's apartment was up to take notice. They were still in bed, not even thinking about getting up. Not even awake for some of them.  
  
But the first door to open this morning was the guest room door, and out of it Master Splinter emerged, well slept and feeling refreshed. He closed his door softly, and looked at the room.  
  
The sunlight was shining brightly past the curtains, making the couch and kitchen counter glow, and the rain beat steadily on the windows. It wasn't as bad as yesterday, but it was still rainy.  
  
Splinter sighed contently and walked over to the kitchen, past his sleeping sons Leo and Donnie, where he started to make his cup of morning tea. He was just stirring his tea when the problems of his sons filled his head. As Master, he would do his best to help them get back to their original form; and they would also put in their help. But would they want to? If they found a way to change back, would they want to? Being human gave them freedom to do what they had dreamed of since they were very little. Splinter knew it was shocking and even distressing at first when they realised what they were, but his sons had gotten used to this new life, and would they find it better than before? Somewhere in Splinter's head said of course they would, but he refused to think of what they would say if they found a cure for their condition. Would they turn it down with a shake of their head; hand it back - throw it back? It made the rat sigh with sadness just to think about how they would throw their original life away.  
  
Splinter stopped stirring his tea and let the soothing steam float up onto his face. He breathed in the aroma, and his ears pricked. He smiled, eyes closed while enjoying the sweet smelling tea.  
  
"Ah, good morning Michelangelo," Splinter said. He turned around to face his son.  
  
Mikey froze, and then smiled. He had been trying to sneak up on his Master, but of course the old Sensei had sensed him. He limped over to the counter next to Splinter.  
  
"Morning Master," he said brightly. His injury had no effect on his happy personality.  
  
Splinter's smile widened slightly. "You should be resting, my son. Taking some pressure off of your injury."  
  
"Ah, you know I can't be cooped up too long, and my stomach was calling for some food!"  
  
Mikey limped over to the fridge, and pulled it open. He took a long few seconds to take a look at what food was in there, and then he made a thoughtful noise and closed the fridge.  
  
"Mostly health food, how can April live on that?" Mikey made a face. "We need some ingredients for a serious breakfast dude!" He turned to his Master. "Can I go into town and get some?"  
  
Splinter shook his head. His son seemed to be forgetting he had an injured foot, and the pain was obviously pushed into the back of his brain, with the thought of food to the front.  
  
"With that foot? No, Michelangelo." Splinter gave his answer firmly.  
  
Mikey stuck out his lip. "Aw please, my foot don't hurt THAT bad, really. We turtles heal quickly and cleanly!" He added with pride, beaming.  
  
"Except that you are no longer in turtle form, but human form, and there fore heal like a human," Splinter said softly.  
  
Mikey's face fell as well as his shoulders.  
  
"Hey Mikey, morning Splinter," a sleepy voice behind them spoke.  
  
Mikey turned around to see April in her white dressing gown. She was wrapping the cords around her slim body and tying them.  
  
"Oh, hi Ape," Mikey said, a little less enthusiastically than normal.  
  
"Good morning April," Splinter smiled. "Would you like a cup of tea?"  
  
"I'd love one, thanks," April smiled back. She walked over and helped Splinter make it.  
  
"April, how come you don't have any breakfast food in here?" Mikey said, looking in the fridge again.  
  
"I do, it's in there," she pointed to a cupboard in the corner.  
  
"Nah, not the cereals, I mean grub WE call breakfast." Mikey slammed the fridge shut again and looked at her.  
  
"Oh, junk food and pizza," April said without even having to think.  
  
"Yeah!"  
  
"Because you guys eat it all."  
  
"Oh."  
  
April poured the boiled water into the teapot, while Splinter poured out the milk. He had brought out five cups for his sons and April.  
  
Leo, yawning and stretching, straightened up from the floor and rubbed sleet from his eyes.  
  
"Hiya Leo," April said, pouring the tea water into three of the mugs. She took one to Leo, who was now stretching his leg muscles in a half sitting position.  
  
"Thanks April," he said, and took his mug by the handle. Donnie was now waking.  
  
After she had supplied Donnie with his tea, and pointed Mikey to his, April asked the guys what they would do today.  
  
"I wanna get some ingredients for some breakfast!" Mikey whined.  
  
Leo raised his eyebrows. "Mikey you can hardly walk."  
  
"Yeah I can!" And to prove it, he took a couple of gingerly steps. "Please, I really don't wanna be stuck in here all day! Hey - what if we go back and grab out skateboard, then I could use that - or blades - or a bike! I won't stop asking until you say yeah."  
  
Leo sighed while Donnie grinned.  
  
"You could go with him while I go with Raph and take that coat back to Prida," Donnie said. "We could check anywhere for unusual activity in the meantime - not that there'll be any in the day."  
  
"How do you know that coat was Prida's?" Leo asked, frowning.  
  
Donnie smiled knowingly. "I'm a genius, I know these things . . . besides, it was pretty obvious, I mean, it had May Valantine's name in it, and we know Prida has a sister."  
  
Leo groaned and shook his head. He didn't even have to ask why Donnie went looking through a coat that wasn't his. He looked to his Master.  
  
"I think it is good for you all to get some fresh air," Splinter said. "But Michelangelo is to stay out only to get the ingredients he wants, and will journey to town on bike."  
  
"Coolies!" Mikey said, grinning. He finished his tea and dumped the mug in the bowl. "So when we going? I'm hungry!"  
  
()()()()  
  
After taking Casey's bike from the parking lot, which was always left there, Mikey was ready to split. He had got ready, and tied his bandanna around his forehead (trying it around his eyes first, but it looked odd now), and had got his brothers' bandanna for them so they could leave quicker. But he had to wait for his lazy brother, Raph, to get up first. He, Leo, Donnie and Mikey would be walking so far together, then Raph and Donnie would take a different route (if they had to) to Prida's to take the coat back, as Donnie had to follow Raph, who knew the way. April insisted on giving them some more money, and Leo, who refused, said they already had some they had saved from before when she sent them into town. But Mikey didn't refuse the sweet smell of more money, and thanked her for it, with Leo scowling behind him. They all said bye to Splinter, waved to April, and set off up the street. It was still raining, but only lightly.  
  
"Mikey, if your foot gets too painful, we can head back," Leo said to his brother, who was riding slowly on the bike next to all of them.  
  
"Are you kidding, bro?" Mikey shook his head. "I'll be fine, stop worrying, worry for Raph or someone."  
  
"Hey," Raph growled, Prida's sister's coat slung over his shoulder.  
  
Donnie tilted his head at his brother in red. "Yeah, Mike's right, you're still limping and you shouldn't be."  
  
"Look, I'm fine, now stop gawking!" Raph snapped.  
  
"You're in hospital tomorrow, aren't you both?" Leo asked, dodging a lamppost he was about to walk into.  
  
"What?" Raph frowned.  
  
"Oh yeah," Donnie nodded. "Gotta have these stitches out, and yours." Donnie pointed to Raph's leg after pointing at his arm.  
  
"Oh great," Raph rolled his eyes, half moaning.  
  
They all silenced for a while as they walked. A few people stared at the identical teenagers, who didn't have their own colours on because April had insisted they had to be washed. So now Mikey and Raph were wearing blue-grey, baggy T-shirts, and Leo and Donnie were wearing navy. They kept asking April why so many of Casey's shirts were at her place, but she kept using the same excuse: That he gets in fights and ends up at her places, 'accidentally' forgetting to take his shirts with him the next day.  
  
The people on the streets, especially kids from their school they had seen, stared even more. They couldn't tell who was who now without the coloured T-shirts, but they couldn't tell before. Though, they did have their bandannas on.  
  
As the rounded the corner that lead to the beginning of the first lot of shops, Donnie looked to Raph and asked, "where d'we go from here then?"  
  
"Up there," Raph pointed across the street to another running away from the shops. His red bandanna was a little darker red now the rain had seen to it.  
  
"Okay, see ya later back home," Leo called, as Donnie and Raph started walking straight away. They had disappeared round the corner within a few seconds. Leo turned to Mikey on Casey's bike.  
  
"To the food store!" Mikey said, pointing, and set off on the bike fast, then wheeling around and joining Leo again.  
  
"What exactly do you want?" Leo asked. By now the rain had managed to make it look like someone had sprayed him with a water gun, and the whether didn't seem to want to stop there.  
  
"Anything good enough for the mornings . . . everything to be exact!"  
  
Leo rolled his eyes, and they set off for the nearest food store. Mikey parked his bike outside, and limped inside with Leo, both dripping from the rain.  
  
They had just walked into a large superstore, and at once someone called Mikey's name.  
  
"Mikey! Hey, Mikey!"  
  
Matt Hill came running over, a can of spaghetti in his hand.  
  
"Hey Matt," Mikey greeted.  
  
"How's the foot doing?" Matt asked, now catching his breath. "Man, I would be freaked if my toe fell off and had to be stitched back on."  
  
Mikey frowned. "What? My toe didn't fall off."  
  
"But that's what your brother said!" Matt exclaimed.  
  
Mikey looked at Leo, who put on a face that said 'you can guess who'.  
  
"The one in the red shirt," Matt described.  
  
"That's Raph, don't listen to that idiot," Leo said, slightly annoyed.  
  
"No, just my foot, got sliced, but I'm mending." Mikey said.  
  
"Oh good, you'll be in school on Monday, right? And . . . you didn't get knocked out either, did you?"  
  
"Yeah, I'll probably be in school, and, er, no I didn't get knocked out."  
  
Matt nodded. "Another Ralph joke."  
  
"Raph -"  
  
"Raph joke."  
  
Both Leo and Mikey corrected him, then smiled.  
  
Matt apologised, and then had to dash because his mother was at the checkout counter and was shouting at him to get over there with the can of spaghetti. Matt said he might call in on Mikey at his home one day if he could, then ran back to the counter. They said bye and started to walk along the food shelves, Mikey bobbing up and down because of his limp.  
  
"Okay, I think a nice, big tin of treacle will be good, and some . . ." Mikey talked to himself as he looked along the shelves.  
  
"Mikey, why did you go and tell your friends where we live?" Leo demanded, stopping and putting his hands on his sides. "You know Master Splinter is at home all the time, and if he's seen by ANYONE there'll be an immediate uproar - or something, and we'll have the police and God knows who round!"  
  
Mikey turned around. "I didn't tell anyone where I live! D'ya think I'm THAT stupid?"  
  
"Then how does Matt know where to call for you? He wouldn't have said that if he didn't know where we live!"  
  
"It's April O'Neil, Leo! Geeze, he's not a dumb kid, ya know! Most people know where she lives! Or finds out!"  
  
Someone was checking out the shelves where they were now, a little way away from them. But they didn't lower their voices.  
  
"Look, I know how you can just spill information, but be careful! You don't know who could be listening!" Leo threw his hands up.  
  
"I didn't spill any info!" Mikey was quite outraged that Leo thought he would do something like that. "Matt's just a smart guy, he probably looked up April's ad somewhere!"  
  
The person in their row was now recognisable as a teenager. His face wasn't a welcome one. It was Jo Tooks, who was also looking for some treacle, but was waiting for the two bros to pass. They still hadn't seen him.  
  
"Look, Michelangelo -!" Leo usually says full names when he gets angry, or upset "- Just don't say to anyone else that they're welcome around, we're not even meant to be making friends! We're meant to be keeping a low profile in school, and that hasn't worked - Raph's already got attached to Prida, and that's bad. The more people like you, the harder it is to say goodbye when we change ba-" He stopped, spotting Tooks leaning with his arms folded on the food shelf behind him, watching them.  
  
"Whadda you want?" Mikey asked, an icy bite in his tone, also showing some nervousness. How much had Tooks heard?  
  
"I want you two to move so I can get some treacle," Tooks said coolly, "and I didn't want to butt in on you nice little argument."  
  
Leo, aware his hands were still raised slightly, quickly dropped them and pushed Mikey out of the way of the treacle.  
  
"Enjoy," Leo said coldly, and he and Mikey walked off.  
  
Tooks narrowed his eyes at them as they walked out of view. He picked up his tin, and was replaying their argument in his head . . . Some things were fitting strangely.  
  
Leo and Mikey didn't say another word until they were at the checkout counter with all the stuff Mikey had hurriedly picked up. They were in line behind a woman and her kid, and the till lady was having a problem with the till.  
  
"Look," Leo sighed, speaking first out of the two. "I'm sorry I shouted back there, but I'm just worrying for Master Splinter's safety. I mean, he's alone all the time while we're at school, and April's at work."  
  
"Hey, I think I can forgive ya," Mikey allowed himself a sweet smile, one that Leo knew was catchy, and was smiling too. "And I worry for Splin'er, too. And you know I wouldn't tell anyone where we live . . . When I see Matt next, I can give him a reason not to come round."  
  
They fell silent and watched as the till finally started to work again. They were soon served, and had their things in a bag, then they made their way out and to Casey's bike. Leo held the bag while Mikey rode. They started to walk/ride back to April's now.  
  
"Hey, you don't think Tooks . . . heard too much, d'ya?" Mikey asked, concerned.  
  
Leo shook his head. "I hope not."  
  
They walked the rest of the way to April's in silence. Leo was thinking about any problems they would face when they DID find a way to change back, and how it would be hard for his brothers to say goodbye to their friends. They would have to say they were moving back to LA. But what would the friends say then? Prida was a strong girl, she wouldn't let good friends like Raph just slip away, she might even ask if they could write to each other, and ask when their next visit to April's is. Leo cursed his brother for it. It wasn't like him anyway. Before this happened, Leo would have said the chances of Raph making friends with ANYONE, let alone a girl, were very small. But she didn't find his anger and moodiness any problem to her. And then there was Mikey, who had made friends with half his art class. Matt seemed like a determined guy, who wants to make better friends. TJ was a lonely kid, who was (Leo noticed) helped, somewhat, from being so scared and shy by Mikey. If Mikey had to go, it would seem like TJ would be abandoned. Leo felt sorry for the guy. Then there was Donnie. He hadn't made close friends with anyone yet, but had made a start. Already people in his classes were noticing the brainy dude in purple, and had been talking with him for brief conversations. Leo found himself to be the only one who hadn't made any friend. Yes, he had spoken to a few people, but he hadn't seen them again, or talked with them for a second time. He hoped he wouldn't. It was his brothers' fault if, when they leave for good, they find they can't say goodbye. Leo knew how hard that would be on his brother; to have finally fit in, and then to be ripped away from the dream, back into the protected sewer walls down below, in all the filth. He had some scary thoughts that, maybe, Raph might refuse altogether. He was, after all, the one who mostly complained about their living conditions, and how they lived. He was the one, at heart, who got upset about his separation from the human world. Leo knew, he could sense it in his brother. He had seen some faces Raph couldn't hide, slip out of control and let Leo glimpse some true feelings. It was rare to see those things. And sometimes, it wasn't just Raph. Donnie showed his emotions by locking himself in his lab and pretending to work on something, while really he spied on the human world using one of his handy, small cameras. Leo knew, he had seen one time when Donnie forgot lock the door. Mikey, bless the guy, could never properly hide his feelings and emotions like Raph could. When the topic of humans and their world rose in the sewers (or used to), and things got too tense and emotional, Mikey would be the one shedding the tear. He could hide his tears, yes, but it still showed on his face; the pain and desire to be part of the world they live under. But that was a while ago for Mikey. He had trained himself to keep his tears to back. Leo knew he studied how Raph kept his hidden, and when they were little, he could remember sneaking up on his two brothers, and heard Mikey actually ask how Raph kept it all hidden. Leo wasn't a sneak, he just liked to keep check on his brothers, and put his ninja stealth to use in doing so.  
  
Now, Leo returned to reality from his thoughts, and found himself on the corner, just opposite April's apartment.  
  
"Man, am I starving," Mikey muttered to himself at the side of Leo, who could hear Mikey's stomach rumble.  
  
"Yeah, let's get that grub on plates!" Leo grinned. He helped Mikey lock the bike back up, and helped him limp all the way up the stairs to April's apartment.  
  
Inside, they found April on the couch with Raph, Splinter in his armchair, and Donnie sat on the arm of the couch next to April, who seemed to be showing him some funny finger tricks. They all looked up when Leo and Mikey walked in.  
  
"Hey guys, got much food?" Donnie asked, turning back to his hands, which were stuck, his fingers bent painfully.  
  
"Yeah, I'm hungry, so let's get some breakies!" Mikey limped into the kitchen, but stopped when Splinter spoke.  
  
"Michelangelo, you must take some weight off that leg and rest, let one of your brothers fix breakfast." The Sensei said.  
  
"Aw, but Master Splinter!" Mikey whined, showing his puppy- dog eyes that made April chuckle. "I went out and brought it so I could make something! And besides, Leo can't cook to save all four of our lives!"  
  
Donnie, Raph and Mikey laughed, while Leo grinned, but playfully elbowed Mikey.  
  
"It IS a little late for breakfast," Donnie said, making them all turn to him. "Shouldn't we call it dinner?"  
  
Mikey called, "it's food! Put it that way!"  
  
The food was soon flying in the frying pan, with Mikey at the handle. The syrup and other sweet ingredients went in as well, though Mikey had no idea what he was making. All he knew was that his stomach was growling so much he could have eaten it all right there and then, pan and all! He dished it out on six plates, took his paper chef's hat off, and walked through with April and Splinter's plates first.  
  
"Hey, looks great, Mikey!" April said, making him beam as he handed Splinter his.  
  
The four brothers were soon tucking in too, and despite its odd look, the food tasted great.  
  
After the superb breakfast - dinner, Mikey was finally bullied by Leo, and ordered by Splinter, to rest his foot. Having eaten and sitting down to watch a movie April rented, it felt too comfy to be true. He was sat with his head against Raph, and his feet in April's lap, grinning broadly. Splinter retreated to the quietness of his room to meditate while the movie was on ("had enough of them in the sewers as well"). So Donnie took up his chair, after a quick argument over it with Leo, and Leo sat on the floor, leaning against the couch. It felt, and looked to Leo, like a real, proper, human family. But of course with Splinter not joining the little group, it looked only half proper.  
  
The movie was a long two and a half hours, but was good nonetheless, especially with the curtains closed, which Mikey had suggested they do. The rain, pattering on the windows, turned to a loud slapping on the glass, but it didn't quite reach over the noise of the TV.  
  
Leo only just remembered, when the movie finished, that he forgot to ask Donnie and Raph if they had seen anything on their way to Prida's.  
  
Donnie came out with a negative answer, as well as Raph's.  
  
The talk turned to tonight when they would go out patrolling. Mikey whined about not being able to go with them.  
  
"You're staying home, like a good boy," Raph said with such false sweetness, Leo and Donnie smiled. Raph patted Mikey on the head, and grinned wickedly.  
  
Then the conversations turned about tomorrow.  
  
"What time will you be going to the hospital?" Leo asked, glancing at Raph's face for the flicker of nervousness he always noticed there when the word 'hospital' was said.  
  
"Sometime around dinner, isn't it?" April asked, looking at Donnie.  
  
"Yeah, about twelve." Donnie confirmed.  
  
"Scared?" Mikey asked Raph, looking up at his brother from near his knees, grinning. He knew Raph hated hospitals as much as he did.  
  
"No," Raph snorted, his face didn't show anything. But Leo could tell now, after so much time studying that face, that it was in fact a cover up for the true face that probably showed a good strong nervousness underneath. Raph noticed him staring and glared back.  
  
The rest of their Saturday was a pleasant time just doing nothing, or watching the movies April rushed out to rent, each one being about two hours, so when they finally finished their fifth movie, it was dark outside, and Splinter emerged to eat, and have another good cuppa. He had to remind his sons that, even though it was Saturday, they still had patrolling to do, which they had totally forgotten about.  
  
"Aw, man, how could we have forgotten about that?! Mikey said, jumping up with his injured foot barely touching the floor. "Let's get going guys!"  
  
But the stood staring at him, and he flopped back down on the couch, disappointed.  
  
"S'no fun when you're injured," he muttered, as his brother put on their trainers, and Raph grabbed a baseball cap he had just noticed on the coat rack. He turned to April.  
  
"Lemme guess, Casey comes over here wearing just this and still leaves it behind, eh?" He grinned, and she took it off his head and whacked him with it, then slapped it back over his tousled hair.  
  
Mikey waved to his bros as they walked out the door, leaving him with April and Splinter to watch the news. A news reporter was on, and was giving a report about the criminals who still were on the loose:  
  
"The sewer hasn't been touched for a while, but police are still on the lookout. The attack on officer Tooks happened a few days ago, but no other activity down there has happened since. Police, especially Tooks, are asking for anyone who might have seen four suspicious boys to report in to the station. The weapons have been removed, and more pictures and belongings to these criminals have been found. Some bearing the same name Michelangelo, which, on some others, has been shortened to Mikey. Police believe it to be the work of kids . . ."  
  
Mikey sank into the couch as April and Splinter looked at him.  
  
"Great, we'll stand out like pizza in a salad bowl."  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Thanks for reviews everyone! SFAM and Sunday is to come . . . Hope you enjoyed! Because I stayed up all night doing this, hey, it takes a while when you have to think about the details, I have this all planned out, and it's hard! (starts whining now) but thanks n e way! 


	16. Sunday: Hospital

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sunday arrived quickly, and it was only one more day to go till they go back to school on Monday, tomorrow. Leo had been hoping that they would find something Saturday night on patrol. Something that would give them a clue to where this strange man might have gone. They had gone to every dark place - the docks, junkyards, where they met a couple of punk kids, the woods and very dark alleyways. Nothing. It felt to Leo like their time was running out. That at the end of the time they could say goodbye to their turtle bodies and live forever like they were now. Leo knew that the longer they were like this, the longer they would go to school, and the more his brothers would get attached to their friends and their lifestyle. That could be the end of their life back in the sewers. But as much as Leo wanted to go back, he had to admit this life was so much better. He was looking for a cure for their condition because it felt right that they should be doing something. It felt wrong that they were human, and having a good life, and it felt wrong because Splinter was still a mutant. Leo felt like they were playing a game, and if they won then they could change back. But if they lost, they would remain like this - and Leo didn't know if that was good or bad. He had spent most of his nights in the past week just thinking about this. Was it okay to enjoy this? Should he be feeling guilty that he was not all that bothered about finding that man? Yes, he told himself. He should, but he just couldn't. There was some guilt for Splinter, but just not for their problem. Splinter would be upset greatly if they actually said they didn't want to change back. Some of these thoughts drove Leo crazy, and he felt like he could just jump over a cliff and keep falling until he had sorted this out. He wanted to talk to his brothers, but he knew their minds were no more made up about this than he was. If he asked Donnie, his brother would probably say the others' decision should be heard before they come to anything. If Leo was to ask Mikey, he would compare the lives; being human is better because . . . being turtle is better because . . . Leo didn't even want to ask Raph. He knew he wouldn't give him an answer. It would be too hard for him. To Leo, this was torture. It was bad enough being separated from the human world when they were turtles, but now that they got their wish, it was just as bad, as now they didn't know what to do. These thoughts and questions followed Leo around all the time, and he knew they did his brothers too. But he wanted to make the most of the human life he had now, the problem he felt about this was that what if they didn't change back? Dwelling on these thoughts weren't making him feel any better, so Leo pushed these aside for now, and concentrated on the day ahead of him.  
  
Sunday, and it was still raining. It was exactly like yesterday with the rain and the sun. The morning in April's place was a little different though. Everyone was up at the same time, and a little earlier than Saturday.  
  
Since his brothers had got back very late last night, Mikey did not tell them about what was on the news when they left. But now, in the morning, he told them.  
  
"Oh great, forget calling you anything," Raph said, rolling his eyes tiredly. "Let's just refer to you as 'orange'."  
  
But Donnie turned to Leo. "Should we just start calling him Michael?"  
  
Leo shook his head. "It would be too easy for anyone to spot. I mean, they've all heard us call him Mikey, so if we change it's gunna seem a little strange, innit? And besides, there are tons of Mikeys out there."  
  
"Yeah, but there ain't tons of 'four suspicious boys' out there, is there?" Raph said wryly. He stood up off the couch where he was sitting next to Mikey. "This is just too easy for the cops - well, if they had brains . . . I mean, there are us, four teenager bros, one's called Mikey. Then I heard in school that they found all Donnie's technology in his room, we have a brainy bro - and then, when we were knocked down by that lorry, the cops brought us in to the hospital, and took our weapons off us. The SAME weapons as those they removed from our dojo! Are they just plain thick or what?"  
  
He looked at his brothers, who were staring at him strangely.  
  
"What?" He frowned.  
  
"You've just pointed out tons of clues that the police CAN put together," Donnie said slowly. "And they all fit . . . man, I never thought of that . . ."  
  
"Hey Donnie, you've got competition to be the brain of the family with Sherlock Holmes here," Mikey said, grinning.  
  
"The cops who took us in to the hospital could figure this out in a zap," Leo said, clicking his fingers and putting on his thinking face. "I think . . . we should stay away from the cops, and keep our heads down in school," he looked at his brother. "We were meant to be doing that anyway, but now you lot made friends, it's just that little bit harder." He had disapproval in his tone that made his brothers lower their heads.  
  
"Well, there's nothing you can do about this now, is there?" April asked, tucking her hair behind her ears.  
  
"We could break into the police station and steal our stuff back, and Mikey's picture," Raph suggested casually.  
  
"I don't think so Raph," Leo said, in a tone that told him he wasn't joking about this. "We should just stay away from the cops, and hope they're as dumb as we need them to be."  
  
"Great plan as always, Leo," Raph said sarcastically.  
  
"Well, since we can't do anythin' about it, let's have breakfast!" Mikey chirped.  
  
It was Saturday morning all over again, except this time they didn't have to go out and get the ingredients from the shops. And this time April made it, while Mikey told her what she needed, and it turned out a bit different than yesterday, but just as delicious. And with the rented films they watched again, it was just as enjoyable.  
  
But as the movie finished, and Donnie got up to take his plate and Leo's away, he remembered the time, and almost dropped the plates.  
  
"Agh!" He cried, looking at them with the plates in his hands. "We were meant to be in hospital half an hour ago!"  
  
"Ah well, tell 'em we were watching a movie and'll make it some other time," Raph said lazily.  
  
"Raph," Leo warned.  
  
"Or tell 'em we got knocked down by another lorry, and we can't make it at all 'cause their hospital's jinxed."  
  
"Raph! You wimp!" Mikey shouted at him, grinning. He began making chicken noises.  
  
"Am not!" Raph's face turned angry and he made to punch Mikey, who dashed out the way, but tripped on his injured foot. Raph gave a 'ha!" and sat back.  
  
"Ow!" Mikey moaned.  
  
But Splinter soon cleared it up and had Mikey sit back down, nursing his foot, and ordered Donnie and Raph to get their trainers on, while April rushed around pulling hers on, and grabbing the car keys. She and Donnie practically had to force Raph into his trainers.  
  
"C'mon, let's go," April said, slapping the baseball cap on Raph's head, who was still looking grumpy. She opened the door, said goodbye to the others and walked out, followed by Donnie and Raph.  
  
Mikey giggled. "I bet Raph comes back crying, with a sticker and a lollipop!"  
  
()()()()  
  
Donnie remembered the hospital just as it was now, except for a slight change he noticed. He nodded proudly to himself for recognising.  
  
"What're you nodding at?" April asked. They were walking through the waiting room now.  
  
"Just noticed a few little things have changed since we were last in here," Donnie said, shrugging.  
  
"Like what?"  
  
"Like the Aspidistra plant has been replaced with the Fig plant in the corner over there." Donnie nodded with his head to the corner.  
  
"But they're almost the same."  
  
Donnie shrugged, and smiled at April's face. He looked at his brother, who hadn't been listening to the conversation. Raph's eyes were darting everywhere. Donnie sighed, then turned his head to someone calling his name.  
  
"Hey Donnie," Tyson Zera walked over. Donnie hadn't seen him since the baseball game in PE, and was slightly surprised to see a small gauze bandage taped to his temple.  
  
"Hey, Tyson," Donnie smiled at his friend. "What are you in here for?" Surely he couldn't have JUST had the bandage out on.  
  
"Oh, just come to check up on this," he pointed to the bandage. "It was a little more that a bump on the head, but this was my last check up. I'll be fine. Why are you in?"  
  
"Just having some stitches out," Donnie said, hoping Tyson wouldn't ask about it.  
  
Luck was with him, Tyson's brother called him over before he could open his mouth; he said bye and walked away.  
  
"Who was that?" April asked. She and Raph had hung back and listened.  
  
"Tyson Zera, he's in some of my classes." Donnie said, and then looked over April's shoulder.  
  
April and Raph turned around to see a woman doctor walking towards them, a smile on her face. It was Dr Hera.  
  
"Well, you finally came," she said, coming to a stop in front of them.  
  
"Er, yeah," Donnie said awkwardly. "We got -"  
  
"Knocked down by another lorry," Raph muttered, cutting in.  
  
Hera laughed, and motioned them to follow her. They headed to a curtained bed in the corner.  
  
"Just as long as you weren't hurt again." Hera said. She closed the curtain behind Raph, and turned around to face them. "Okay, who's having their stitches out first?"  
  
Donnie shrugged. "Me."  
  
While Hera got what she needed and started on Donnie's arm, which was a long, thin line on his forearm, she chatted to April about the world of a reporter. Raph watched rather tensely as Donnie winced slightly when the doctor pulled on his scar.  
  
"Bet you've been busy lately, with all these robberies happ'ning," Hera said to April, looking up from Donnie's arm.  
  
"Yeah, it has been pretty busy in the office," April nodded.  
  
A minute later the doctor finished pulling out the last of the stitches on Donnie's arm, and bandaged it back up.  
  
"There, that's healed quite nicely," Hera said, smiling satisfactorily.  
  
Donnie stood up from the bed and smiled back. "Thanks." He rolled his sleeve back down over it.  
  
Hera turned to Raph and patted the bed. "Your turn."  
  
Raph, not really wanting to show his leg to anyone including a doctor, didn't move.  
  
"He's shy," Donnie joked, and steered his brother to the bed, hands on his shoulders. He pushed him onto it. He actually felt a little sympathy for his brother. He knew he hated situations like this.  
  
As Hera started on Raph's stitches, she asked the two bros how they liked their new school.  
  
"It's . . . er, different from the one back home," Donnie chuckled nervously, talking slowly.  
  
Hera suddenly pulled a little too hard on Raph's leg.  
  
"Ow! Hey, you tryin' ta take my leg off?!" He yelled, bolting upright.  
  
"Oops, sorry," Hera smiled, easing him back down so his leg could relax.  
  
"Hey, don't worry about him," April said. "He gets edgy in hospitals."  
  
After finishing with Raph's stitches, Hera bandaged it up and told them to both take it easy, and to Raph she said:  
  
"You shouldn't be walking too much on that leg, so skip PE classes and things like that; and you can keep your other brother, Mikey, off his foot while you're doing it."  
  
They left the hospital rather quickly, after saying thanks, and drove back home. Raph remained quiet in the front seat, while Donnie yapped away to April, and to himself, how glad he was the police weren't there, and that Hera didn't ask any questions about things they wouldn't have been able to answer.  
  
They were soon walking back up the stairs to April's apartment, and she unlocked the door.  
  
On the floor was Mikey and Leo, playing a game of Ludo. Leo was sat cross-legged with one arm folded over his plastron, his other elbow leaning on it and his chin in his hand. Mikey was stretched out on his stomach. They both looked up quickly as April, Donnie and Raph walked in.  
  
"Oh, hiya guys," Mikey said, then moved his piece on the board. "Did Raph faint?"  
  
"Hey!" Raph said, angrily.  
  
Mikey just giggled while Leo smiled, and moved his piece on the board.  
  
Donnie and Raph took off their sneakers, and Donnie tightened his bandanna. Then he went and sat on the couch, watching Leo and Mikey's game. Raph limped over to the armchair and collapsed in it. His leg hurt a lot more now, and throbbed with his heartbeat. Funny, he thought.  
  
"Where's Splinter?" Donnie asked. "Not still in bed is he?"  
  
"No, he came out for a cup of tea, then went back in his room to meditate," Mikey answered, looking at the board game. "I think he's trying to hard to find this man. I don't think he's having any success."  
  
"Master Splinter knows when it's pointless," Leo said. "He wouldn't waste energy on meditation if he thought he was getting no where."  
  
A few minutes later their game finished, and Mikey sat up.  
  
"Hey, dudes, let's go somewheres, I'm board." He said, shoulders dropping and head tilted to his brothers.  
  
"The doctor told us you have to stay sat," Raph said, clearly it was obvious the doctor had said this, but he was about to twist it into his own words. "So, that means if you try to go anywhere, we have permission to strap you down." He grinned mischievously.  
  
"Yeah right, Raph," Mikey said. "You can't walk either, so you couldn't hold me down if I was asleep!"  
  
"God, I'm glad I wasn't injured," Leo muttered to himself, and catching April's eye he grinned.  
  
"I can walk! What you on about?" Raph frowned angrily.  
  
"I saw you limping! You look worse than when you went in." Mikey enjoyed small arguments with his brother.  
  
"Yeah well you wait till you have your stitches out." Raph suddenly smiled evilly. "It's painful, you know. They actually rip the threads out, and don't give you time to scream about it because they've taken hold of the next one and are already pulling."  
  
Mikey, wide eyed, stared at his brother. He hated hospitals, always had since they were little and had seen some things done to animals on TV. Plus from the warning Splinter had given them, and the tales he told them. But Mikey shook his head.  
  
"Yeah right Raph, stop fooling around . . . you know how I hate hospitals . . ." Mikey stuck out his lower lip and stared at the board. Anything horrible said about hospitals always had an effect on him.  
  
"Raph," Leo warned, shooting him a look. "Don't."  
  
Donnie, watching this, tapped Mikey on the back and gave him a sweet smile.  
  
"Hey, don't worry, they don't hurt too bad," he said. "Would it make you fell better if I broke my promise to Raph and told you how much he was screaming, and had to be strapped down?"  
  
Mikey's face split into a grin, as Raph sat up in his chair and told Donnie, angrily, that that didn't happen.  
  
After assuring Mikey that Raph really DID look nervous, and cheering his brother, Donnie got up to avoid the glare Raph was giving him, to make a pot of tea for them all. Just when he was handing them out, Splinter emerged from the guest room, and Raph moved for him to sit down. Donnie made him another cuppa as well.  
  
"Ah, thank you Donatello," Splinter said as he took his tea from his son. He was glad they were wearing their bandannas, as it was easier for him to distinguish them. He felt they had done it for him anyway.  
  
There was nothing to do for the rest of the day now. They had watched all the movies April had rented, and then taken back. Mikey couldn't walk anywhere, and they didn't want to leave him, as well as Raph. Leo suddenly got headache, and laid down on the couch, and Donnie was board stiff with no computer to keep him happy. Their dream as a human seemed just the same as turtles; confined to the apartment and keeping a low profile that meant keeping away from cops and such.  
  
At six o'clock, they were all so board, that Donnie, Raph and Mikey started a game of hangman, and Leo was still lying on the couch, one hand covering his eyes and occasionally massaging his forehead.  
  
"Erm . . . 'A'," Raph said, tiredly.  
  
Mikey, laid on his stomach on the floor with his head in one hand, writ down an 'A'.  
  
"'Board'," Donnie said, flatly. He, too, was on his stomach, head in hand. His cheek pressed against his hand so his eye looked lopsided.  
  
"Damn, you got it again," Mikey writ the whole word out and pushed the paper and pen to his brother.  
  
Donnie grabbed the pen and jotted down a few lines.  
  
"'A'," Raph said again. He was sat, leaning against the couch, knees pulled up to his chest and his head resting on his arms on his knees.  
  
Their game stretched on, and Donnie scored more than anyone without even the fourth letter being placed down. Leo joined in a few times, and had just said the letter 'B', when April, who had been in the shower, came out and joined in too.  
  
Splinter, in the armchair, sat and watched. He felt very tired, so he said goodnight and went to bed early.  
  
Nobody really talked now, except to say a letter, and for Donnie to say the word.  
  
Outside the rain became a roar and thudded loudly on the windows. The wind howled and sometimes the lights would flicker slightly. Maybe school would be out tomorrow, Mikey though as he watched April write a letter down.  
  
From there, they all became board again, and soon only Donnie and Mikey were playing hangman because Raph had fallen asleep, as well as Leo, and April had retired to her room.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay, night ends there! Thanks for your reviews. More to come. And the reason I put about the plants was because the two are almost the same (aren't they?), I thought it was funny . . . (looks around to stony faces) Okay, maybe not . . . anyway, action going on in next chapter, stay tuned folks, lol. SFAM 


	17. Fire!

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
"Am I allowed to go today?" Mikey asked.  
  
It was quart to eight in the morning on Monday, and he was laid on the couch with his foot on a pillow. He watched as April brought his breakfast over, and as Donny came out of the bathroom having just brushed his teeth. Leo and Raph were sitting groggily on the edge of the couch, in front of Mikey, fully dressed and tousled haired.  
  
"No," April said firmly for the third time this morning. "You heard the doc: No pressure of that foot, which means no walking."  
  
Mikey groaned and rolled his head, which was propped on a pillow.  
  
"Stop moaning, can't understand why you WANNA go to school," Raph muttered, tiredly, running a hand through his hair automatically, tightening his bandanna as his fingers pulled at it on his forehead. They all had forgotten to take them off, and were still wearing them since Saturday.  
  
"I get bored on my own, and I have friends to talk to, unlike you."  
  
Donny lifted his index finger. "Not true, Raph has got a friend; Prida."  
  
"Don't worry, we'll bring ya your homework," Leo joked to Mikey, who stuck out his lip.  
  
"I have to tell Matt . . . something," Mikey said, looking meaningful at Leo.  
  
Leo shrugged casually. "I'll tell 'im."  
  
Donny, Raph and April looked at them suspiciously. They avoided their eyes.  
  
Mikey finished his breakfast and held the plate up for April, smiling.  
  
"Thanks, Ape, that was great," He said, wiping his mouth. At that minute Splinter appeared from his room, and made his way to his chair. His sons, and April, said good morning.  
  
"Ah, Michelangelo, you will be resting today," Splinter ordered softly after he had sat down and greeted his sons for the morning. He took the cup of tea April had just given him.  
  
"I am doing! But that's all people have been saying to me! It's already boring." Mikey folded his arms over his chest.  
  
"Heh-heh, well, I'll tell ya what ya miss," Donny said, grinning. He enjoyed school, unlike his brothers. Mikey just liked to socialise with people and make friends. Donny found them all looking at him.  
  
"You sound like you like school," Raph said slowly, look of disgust on his face.  
  
"So what if I do?" Donny shrugged. He leaned against the wall with his arms crossed.  
  
April came in from the kitchen and stood next to him.  
  
"Well, Mikey," she said. "I shouldn't be at work as much; hopefully, anyway. I'll be home earlier today, so I can grab you a pizza for lunch and rent a movie."  
  
"Pizza, man I haven't had one in too long," Mikey said. Then he remembered why. "Erm, a Chinese will do."  
  
April's mouth fell open. Then she shut it with a look at his brothers. They all seemed to think Mikey's decision was a wise choice.  
  
"Er - okay," April said, and looked at her watch. "We should be going, guys."  
  
With groans from Raph, and moans from Mikey, they soon had their bags on their backs and were waiting for April to find her keys. She accused Mikey of hiding them so they wouldn't go, but she tackled him and managed to pull her key chain out from under the pillow. They left Mikey with Splinter, and were soon in arriving at school. But when they got there, April pulled up the car and stopped the engine. They frowned.  
  
"What, you coming to school, too?" Raph grinned.  
  
April slammed the door shut as they all got out and locked it.  
  
"No, just having a word with one of your teachers about you," she smirked back while Raph's face frowned angrily. He knew who that teacher was.  
  
Leo and Donny smiled, and they all walked in together. April disappeared into the math block while the three bros headed for their form rooms.  
  
The teacher greeted them and marked them down on the register, then noticed there were only three.  
  
"Um, where's Leo?" He asked.  
  
Leo looked at him. "I'm here."  
  
"Oh, oops, sorry," the teacher grinned apologetically. "Your name's the only one that that I seemed to have remembered. Er, where is . . . ?"  
  
"Mikey," Donny said. "He's at home, er, resting. His foot's still pretty painful."  
  
The teacher wished him well mending, and then said goodbye as the bell went, signalling first class. The form, all looking tired and pretty miserable, trudged out slowly.  
  
The corridors were packed, but they always seemed to empty quickly. The three bros where the only ones left walking down the math corridor.  
  
"Hey guys!" A call from behind them echoed slightly on the bare corridor walls.  
  
They turned around to see Prida right behind them, tying back her necklace. She was wearing a purple baseball cap that really seemed to make her eyes stand out. She had a loose, blue T-shirt on and denim cut-offs. Her long, slim legs ended in purple sneakers. Her hair was tied loosely back, draping down to her waist and over her shoulder.  
  
"Hey Prida," they said, stopping for her.  
  
Raph, level with his room, slipped in. The sounds of Mr. Reilys voice rose slightly higher than a normal teacher would use to greet a student.  
  
"Math, Leo," Prida said, slapping her hair back behind her shoulders.  
  
"Yeah, with Mr. Gallegar," Leo nodded, mostly informing Donny about the teacher, as Prida didn't exactly need to know again who she was being taken by in Math.  
  
Donny smiled and they all walked up the corridor to their rooms. Donny's was further down, so he said bye to his brother and his friend and made his way to his room.  
  
His teacher was a nice, middle-aged woman called Mrs. Hefton. She was a smallish woman with brown hair. She was really nice to Donny and, when he walked in, gave him a kind, happy smile she seemed to save for him only.  
  
Smiling back, Donny made his way to his seat next to his friend Michael Deta, who he had made good friends with in this class.  
  
Michael was a thin kid, a little taller than Donny, and about Leo's height. He had short stand-on-end hair, and was a good laugh. Right now he was grinning at Donny. He always had a smile, Donny thought, smiling back.  
  
As the class started, Donny's concentration was interrupted by sudden thoughts. He frowned slightly to himself, forgetting the work he was doing with Michael. This class seems so normal and great, Donny wondered if he would ever feel the same after he and his brothers move back down into the sewers . . . if they change back. He felt so happy to be in here, with people who actually appreciated him now, and didn't shunt him away for being too brainy or for being part of a weird family.  
  
"Dooooonny?"  
  
His eyes refocused and he shook himself mentally. Donny looked to his friend, who was watching him, eyebrows raised.  
  
"What's wrong?" Michael asked him, slightly concerned, as Donny had just looked drugged a second ago.  
  
"Eh? Oh, nothing," Donny said, smiling and shaking his head.  
  
He and his friend got back into the flow of work again, and, at the end of the class when the answers from their exercise had been called out, Donny got all his questions right, while the rest of the class got at least some wrong. Donny walked out of his class with Michael, smiling.  
  
"Whatcha got now?" Michael asked him when they had stopped for Donny to look at his timetable in the corridor, just outside their room.  
  
"Bio," Donny read off his timetable. He put it away and straightened up to see Leo walking towards him from down the corridor.  
  
"That means I got Chemistry," Michael said. "I'll see ya later." He walked off down the corridor, and round the corner.  
  
"Hey," Leo said when he reached his brother. "We got Biology, coming?"  
  
They walked off towards Raph's room, meeting Prida on the way who had only just come out of her and Leo's Math classroom.  
  
And after rescuing Raph from the dreadful Reily, who was giving out lectures, they headed to their biology room, with Mrs. Lyne.  
  
Today she had sprung a pop quiz on them, and at the moment, the only one who was thrilled about this was, of course, Donny. His brothers, and even Prida, shook their heads at him, not looking too happy. They took their seats and waited as the teacher handed out file paper, then the question sheets.  
  
The test was not a hard one for the top group, but no one whizzed through it like Donny did, who was writing so fast his brothers, and some people on the row in front of him looked back to him. He didn't notice, and his pencil was so blunt when he put it down half an hour later that it was surprising he could have written anything at all. The rest of the class finished some time after him, and he was doodling absentmindedly on his spare piece of paper.  
  
The bell rang loudly in the classroom, as it was positioned on the corridor wall just near the biology room door. Everyone packed their bags, pulling out snacks from home to eat at break. Mrs. Lyne started to collect the papers in.  
  
Donny watched as Prida and Raph walked over to him and Leo, eyebrows raised at Donny. He frowned politely.  
  
"You think you could have finished that quiz any faster?" Prida joked.  
  
"Don, we could heard you writing from back there," Raph said, pointing with his thumb behind his shoulder.  
  
Donny shrugged and smiled. "Hey, it was easy." He walked off, Leo, Raph and Prida followed, Leo smiling. He was proud of his bro.  
  
Once they were outside (kids were shooed from the corridors, clogging up the place) Prida turned to face them, backing up a bit.  
  
"I'm gonna get some grub, I'm starving," she said. "I'll see you guys in . . . well, we've got Chemistry next, and I got PE Theory after that, see ya then." She trotted off.  
  
Just as she disappeared indoors, heading to the snack shop, Tyson appeared behind them, tapping Donny on the shoulder.  
  
"Eh - hey, Tyson," Donny said, turning around with his brothers. His friend no longer had that gauze bandage on his temple. But there was a red mark. Donny's eyes flickered to it, then back to Tyson's face.  
  
"Hey, where's . . . Mikey?" Tyson asked, thinking of the name and saying it slowly. "Oh yeah, the foot." He said before Donny could answer.  
  
Automatically Leo, Donny and Raph spun around, searching the crowd of kids, then realized what Tyson had meant.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" Tyson asked, frowning and glancing behind them, wondering why they had done that.  
  
The three bros lowered their heads, slightly embarrassed. They had thought Tyson had meant the Foot clan.  
  
"Er, oh, er thought someone was calling us . . ." Donny stammered. His brothers nodded. Donny could have laughed.  
  
A few minutes later the bell rang and they all joined the stream of kids walking indoors to classes. Tyson, who was in Prida's Chemistry group, said bye and walked into the room next to theirs in the Science block.  
  
He saw Prida rush in a few seconds later, chewing. She seated herself next to her friend on the row in front of him. He found himself thinking that his friend, Donny, had a lucky brother, the one in red, as he found her quite attractive despite the tomboyish look. He shook his head, shaking away those thoughts and sunk into the class' topic of Chemistry.  
  
Prida swallowed her food, and took another bite out of her sausage roll, hiding behind her bag on the desk.  
  
Her class was one of those she could stand to go in, mostly because the teacher was nice. And since he was, Prida dared to go and ask . . .  
  
"Sir," she said. "I haven't done my diagram of the chemical particles, and I did it on the computers. Could I go print it off?"  
  
Knowing how she usually did some good work and that it was true she hadn't got her diagram, the teacher told her she could go.  
  
"See ya in a few," Prida said to her friend, Bonnie Sukes, and left the classroom, heading down the corridor to the staircase, as the library was upstairs of the science block.  
  
She passed the room next her hers and glanced in. She saw the three bros in there, two were listening carefully to the teacher, who was explaining something; and the other was sat right down in his chair, flicking bits of eraser at his brother in front.  
  
Prida smiled, and then Raph looked up at her. She mouthed 'hello' through the glass in the door.  
  
He frowned and mouthed 'where are you going?'  
  
She pointed to the ceiling. 'Library'.  
  
He gave a nod, and turned back as though someone had called his name. Prida quickly walked away.  
  
The library was nearly empty and quiet, and looked some much bigger. There were a few kids, a year or so younger, at the counter asking Mrs. Stein something. She smiled at Prida, then turned back to the two boys, telling them they had to go fetch whatever they wanted.  
  
Prida walked over to the line of computers at the very end of the library. She had to walk up a few steps onto the higher platform to get to them, and quickly logged in. She heard the library door close, and the kids' voices go. Now only Mrs. Stein could be heard moving around and shifting things.  
  
Prida found her diagram and pressed the print button, then waited for the printer (at the end of the line of computers) to start printing. She heard the doors to the library shut a second time and the library was deadly quiet. She glanced around at the peaceful book sanctuary, and turned back to the printer to see the paper being taken in by it.  
  
But a soft, almost silent noise from behind a large bookcase made her frown and turn around, listening. She smelt something lingering in the air, and by the second it seemed to grow stronger until it was recognizable as smoke. She frowned even more and silently made her way to that soft noise. There were so many standing book shelves in there that she had to look past and down three before she turned around and found the source of the noise. She gasped and froze, staring at the human figure that was standing there, dressed in black. It stared back, shocked, too. But it's face made her eyes widen. It must have had a mask on, because it had black dressing covering it's head as well, and it had, like, nets over the cut outs for the eyes. It wore a red bandanna across it's forehead.  
  
It recovered faster than she did, but before it moved, she could already feel the heat, and see the dancing red and orange bright flames of fire eating the books and licking the shelves behind it, which seemed to grow rapidly in front of her very eyes. The figure in black made a sudden move, and charged at her.  
  
Prida managed to moved slightly, but not enough. She was hit, and thrown into a small bookcase. She and it fell to the floor with a loud thud, and the thin, wooden shelves snapped under her weight. She lay in the hole she created, shocked and stunned.  
  
But the black figure didn't just knock her over on its way out. As it rushed past Prida, pushing her over, it also careered into the edge of the bookshelf next to her. It creaked and fell, fast, onto her, trapping and dazing her.  
  
The black figure was gone, as the doors slammed shut.  
  
The smoke had spread rapidly, which meant the fire had also. The whole library was now smoky, but at the back of the library, it was very thick, and only outlines could be seen through the gray.  
  
Prida coughed, still slightly dazed. Her head throbbed, and she couldn't see anything except smoke in front of her. But her heart quickened as she saw the fire had now moved from the back bookshelf to the surrounding, and had nearly closed around her. Some books fell from the shelves, and spread the fire that was eating them onto the floor.  
  
She tried to move, but her body seemed to have stop working, and she could only cough.  
  
--  
  
Leo's whole class stopped working as a bell went off, lifting their heads up from work. Even Donny, who had been scratching pencil to paper stopped and frowned.  
  
"It's the fire alarm," Mr. Hodcroft called out, quite calmly. "Everyone leave your stuff and line up on the field. Just another practice bell . . ."  
  
Everyone groaned and didn't hurry to move out of the fire exit door.  
  
Leo, Donny and Raph shrugged at each other and followed. All wondering why there was another fire practice straight after Friday's one. All around them were kids moaning about practice bells, and saying they should only let them off when there was a real fire.  
  
As they got onto the field, they saw that most of the other classes and grades had lined up and were watching the last few come out. All looked unbothered about all this. Teachers were stood at the front of the lines, also looking the same.  
  
Leo, Donny and Raph's Chemistry class broke apart and some went to friends and started chatting, while others stood, bored. The three bros stood near the science building, watching people. Jo Tooks, across a short way away, was watching them.  
  
"Hey, Donny!" Tyson called, jogging over and looking excited.  
  
"Oh, hey. Sup?" Donny asked.  
  
"This is," Tyson waved his hand, motioning all the teachers and students.  
  
"Whadda ya mean?" Donny frowned. Leo and Raph frowned also, and stepped a bit closer to hear.  
  
"Haven't ya heard?" Tyson said. "Someone said this is the real thing - fire!"  
  
"Where?" Leo asked.  
  
But now, behind Tyson to the kids and teachers on the field, they were shouting and pointing to the top floor of the science block.  
  
"The library," Tyson said, watching the three glance up above them to the thin, but visible smoke that was drifting out of the windows.  
  
"Where's your class?" Raph asked Tyson suddenly, looking back to him.  
  
"Over there, well, half of them." Tyson pointed.  
  
Raph scanned the group he pointed to, while Leo Donny and Tyson continued the conversation.  
  
"Does anyone know how it started?" Leo asked, watching a few smaller kids shriek in hysteria. He heard someone behind him mutter 'damn!'.  
  
"No, didn't even know it was a real fire until the principle went to ask why they had put on the bell and found out it was set off either by some kid, or a fire. One of the teachers musta seen the smoke and told him. I think it was Mrs. Stein."  
  
But Tyson stopped talking and watched as one dark haired, unwelcome boy walked over. Tooks walked right up to Leo and Donny, completely ignoring Tyson, back to him.  
  
"What do you want?" Leo said coldly.  
  
"Just wondered, but, how does it feel to be triplets now?" Tooks said, clearly seeing something that they did not.  
  
"What are you talking about?" Leo snapped. "The only reason Mike's not here is because of you. He's fine though, so what do you care?"  
  
"Oh I didn't mean HIM," Tooks said in a low voice, ignoring some shrieks and teachers voices behind him on the field.  
  
Leo and Donny narrowed their eyes at him. Donny said, "look, make your point and scram."  
  
"Oh, if you haven't noticed then I shouldn't bother saying anything," Took said, enjoying whatever he was getting at. "I mean, it would do everyone good, to get rid of him, and in a school fire as well. Something everyone would enjoy."  
  
Leo, knowing who Tooks detested the most, felt his stomach turn cold. He spun around and searched for him.  
  
"Raph?" He called. Donny noticed too. Tooks moved off, smiling and watching them.  
  
Tyson suddenly looked pale.  
  
"Oh God," he said, almost whispering. Leo and Donny looked at him. "Prida went to the library!"  
  
Leo and Donny stared, then scanned the group Tyson had pointed out for Raph. Prida wasn't among them.  
  
"Damn!" Leo said, and remembered he had heard the same word a minute ago. He and Donny turned and ran, Donny shouting something to Tyson. But before they could get to any of the fire doors, they were stopped by a teacher.  
  
"No - Sir, we have to get in there -" Leo said quickly.  
  
"No one is to go in, there's a fire." The man said. "We all stay out here until the fire brigade arrive."  
  
"No, we have to get in there!" Leo shouted. "Our brother's -"  
  
"Listen, go back to your line!" The man said sharply. "I'm not letting you in, and I don't care what your brother has left in there."  
  
Leo and Donny were forced to stop pushing him, and to go back. They rushed around to the other side of the building, but there was a teacher guarding all entrances to the building.  
  
They both stopped, and looked at each other. Shrill alarms of the fire brigade rang through the air.  
  
"Let's just hope," Leo said, looking up at the now thicker smoke coming from the window. "That Prida's okay."  
  
--  
  
The smoke was really thick, and Raph was coughing just before he got to the library. He yanked the door open, and immediately took a step back from the smoke and the heat. The whole library was gray, and he couldn't see anything.  
  
Well, I won't from here, he thought, and, taking a breath, he dashed inside, hoping Prida would be outside somewhere. But he had a feeling she was in here.  
  
He gagged as soon as he entered the sweltering library. He covered his mouth with his hand, breathing hard. He could see enough to realize that there was fire so close to him, eating at the books, that his red shirt was now a half blackened one. He walked carefully, but quickly, further in. The roar of the flames was the only thing he could hear.  
  
"Pri -" He shouted, but was cut off from a cough attack. If he was like this, what would she be like?  
  
A bookcase next to him, in the gray smoke, fell with a creak, and he jumped out the way. Burning books fell to the floor. The fire was everywhere, all over the shelves, and bits over the floor. He slipped past two close bookshelves, both burning with flames. As he went past them, turning sideways to avoid being burnt, he could feel beads of sweat fall down his forehead from the flames.  
  
He almost tripped on something, and realized it was steps that lead to the higher platform in the library. He jumped up them and, wafting away as much smoke as he could, and squinting his eyes, he walked into the thickest part of the library.  
  
--  
  
Prida, coughing and almost unconscious from the smoke and heat, gave up trying to shift the bookcase off her, and collapsed, coughing and gasping. Her head felt like it was filled with too much smoke, and was about to explode if she didn't get fresh air soon. Her eyes, which she closed a few minutes ago, hurt from the heat and from squinting too hard. She was drenched in sweat, and felt it trickle down her face, down her neck and onto the bookcase she had been entrapped in.  
  
But then she thought she heard something. Maybe Death coming to collect her. But she opened her eyes a crack, and saw something pass in front of the flames that was dancing on a bookcase. It might be Death; it was dark, and humanly shaped. But as she stared, the figure came into view, and she could just hear coughing over the roar of the flames.  
  
The flames from the fire danced over a familiar face, lighting up just one side. But that was all Prida needed, to know Raph was there. She tried to call his name, but she was stopped by a coughing fit, and couldn't stop.  
  
Raph saw her now. He rushed straight over to her, shocked to see her where she was; but before he could reach her, one of the computers nearby blew up with a mighty crash, and the glass from the screen, and other bits, flew everywhere. Raph dropped to the ground, heavily, as a flaming piece of wire from it flew at him. He jumped back up again and crawled over to his friend.  
  
"Prida - hang on -" he coughed.  
  
Raph started to heave the shelf off her, but it was hard work while he was coughing, gasping and sweating. But not for nothing was he a Ninja. He wrapped his hands around the wood frame tightly and pulled it off her, throwing it to the side.  
  
"Prida-!"  
  
Prida heard his voice, but now she was trying hard not to loose consciousness and it sounded far away. She fought back, and the roaring of the fire became louder slightly. She felt arms lift her up, then she was being carried away from her trap. She felt Raph stumble, and realized he had just jumped down the three steps. Her eyes flickered, and she saw the flames go past. The smoke was thinning out, and she fell into coughing fits again.  
  
Raph used his elbow and side to open the door, and quickly jogged down the stairs with Prida in his arms. Her head bobbed worryingly with each step. On the last one, his injured leg almost gave way, and he buckled. But he regained his balance and burst out of the building into fresh air where he coughed and took it in, deeply.  
  
They had come out around the other side to where all the kids were lined up. Any teachers round here must have left their posts at the doors.  
  
There was a bit of field here, and Raph crouched down and laid Prida down on it. She coughed, putting a hand to her mouth, then gasped in the fresh air. For a few seconds she just lay there, breathing deeply, with Raph crouched next to her, clearing his smoked-up throat.  
  
After a minute, Prida managed to prop herself up on her elbows, eyes closed as the world was spinning. Then she opened them and looked at Raph, who was watching her worriedly.  
  
She opened her mouth to speak, but was stumped for words. She just gave him a look that alone said thank you.  
  
"Are -" Raph coughed "- you okay?"  
  
Prida nodded slowly, her head still hurt and she felt tired.  
  
"God, I thought -" she choked "- I was dead then . . . you . . . saved my life . . ."  
  
Raph smiled. "All in a school day's work. I guess it was better than written work."  
  
They both looked at each other, then laughed. Raph stopped, but Prida carried on, though she looked physically drained.  
  
"You look really funny," she said, grinning and pointing to his black shirt and black face mixed with sweat.  
  
"You don't look much prettier yourself," Raph grinned back.  
  
In the light of day, they could both see how black they both were. Then Prida dropped her smile.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
Prida stared at the grass. "I lost my Chemistry work."  
  
He stared at her, then her face broke into a grin, and his too. They both looked up at once as a shout came from behind them.  
  
A woman teacher was running towards them, with a whole load of paramedics and other teachers behind the. Raph spotted Leo and Donny. They reached them and Prida was surrounded by the paramedics. Raph shook them off and watched his brothers rush up to him.  
  
Leo and Donny both looked at Prida, blackened, then at Raph.  
  
"Why the hell did you run off like that without telling us?!" Leo shouted at him.  
  
Raph looked taken aback, but then Leo's face split into a proud smile.  
  
"Good job Raph," he said, grinning at Raph's face. "That's was . . . brave . . ." He put a hand on his brother's shoulder. Donny was grinning.  
  
But then Raph was swarmed by paramedics, and while they were busy with him, Prida managed to see through them to Leo and Donny. She was about to say something, but someone shouted her name, and the next thing she was spun around and wrapped tightly in a hug.  
  
"Prida! God, are you alright! Oh God!"  
  
It was her sister, Mai. She hugged her little sister, eyes watering.  
  
"I'm okay, Mai!" Prida said when they broke, but Mai still had her hands on her little sister's arms. Behind them a young man stood, obviously Mai's boyfriend. He smiled at Prida, much like a big brother would. He walked over and hugger her as well.  
  
"Thanks Korey, but I'm fine now," Prida said, smiling back at him.  
  
"What happened?" Mai insisted.  
  
"I think we'd all like to know that."  
  
They all looked up to see Principle Simmons smiling down at them. They stood up. The paramedics stepped back while Prida explained, planning to seize her again when she'd finished.  
  
"I was in the library for a Chemistry diagram," Prida said, twisting the collar of the jacket Mai had draped round her shoulders. "And . . . I heard a noise, so, I went to see what . . ."  
  
She continued, but Leo and Donny were half listening, and trying to rescue Raph from the paramedics. Their brother wasn't too happy about being treated for smoke damages.  
  
"And I couldn't move under the bookcase," Prida went on, wearily. "Then I heard someone and Raph saved me." She ended it in a smile.  
  
"Saved you?" Simmons asked. "I thought at first both of you got trapped."  
  
Mai turned around from the conversation, along with Prida and Korey, and walked over to Leo, Donny and Raph. They looked up at her. Mai turned to Raph (obvious he was the one who went in the fire as he was almost black, which had been beaten away a bit).  
  
"Thank you so much," Mai said, smiling thankfully. "I dunno what would of happened if you hadn't been there."  
  
Prida grinned as Raph went red slightly under the black smudges on his face. His freckles stood out.  
  
Korey put a hand on his shoulder, grinning.  
  
"That was pretty amazing, dude," he said.  
  
Leo and Donny were both smiling proudly for their brother. But were glad that he was safe as well as Prida.  
  
Simmons walked over to them, as well as the lingering paramedics.  
  
"I think when there's a fire bell, all students are to remain outside of the school building," he said sternly, and their smiles faded. "But it just goes to show today, that there are some rules that must be broken for certain emergencies." He smiled, and they all sighed. "I'm proud you joined us." He put a hand on Raph's shoulder. "Shame you won't be staying long . . ."  
  
Simmons, along with some teachers walked away, leaving Prida's smile to fade and the bright glint in her eye to dim. 


	18. What happened

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
(A.N) Sorry for confusing you all, but the reason Simmons said that Raph (and his brothers) won't be staying is becoz they're only there temporary (get me?) They're 'from' LA, and are only 'visiting' their 'aunt' April, so they had to go to school, but not for long . . . get me? Hehe, sorry for confusion, nah, I wouldn't have them expelled, heh. Thanks for reviews; I love you now, hehe.  
  
~  
  
It was announced that the school would be temporarily closed for the rest of the day, and for the following, as the library would need to be cleaned up and blocked off. School was to continue the day after tomorrow, when proper precautions would be set. Simmons announced this on the field only a half an hour after Prida and Raph had come out of the building, but he didn't mention names. He used the megaphone to shout through. Kids, and even teachers, were happy there was a sudden break in the week.  
  
Prida, still wrapped in Mai's coat, walked up to Leo and Donnie, who were talking in low voices about something that she couldn't really care about right then. They stopped talking and looked up at her.  
  
"You're moving back, aren't you?" She asked, clutching the sides of the coat as it slipped in a small wind.  
  
Leo frowned. "Where?" He asked.  
  
"To LA, you said you're just here to visit your aunt . . . then you're going back . . ." Prida, though she tried to hide it, was deeply upset about this. She didn't know why, but something about her friends seemed odd, and she had become attached to all of them. She couldn't shake off the feeling that there was something to them.  
  
Leo's face immediately dropped the frown and he glanced quickly at Donnie before he spoke.  
  
"Yeah. Yeah we are . . ." He said, awkwardly.  
  
Prida nodded, and turned around to her sister's calls. Mai was beckoning her to them so they could go home and Prida could get bathed and changed. She was still black, and the sweat on her face had dried uncomfortably.  
  
Prida turned back. "I'll see you guys later . . . I haff to get out of these clothes."  
  
She would have smiled, but she felt no mood to be happy. She frowned to herself as she walked, slowly, to her sister and her brother-in-law. Why is she not happy? She just escaped a burning library, by her best friend - wait a minute . . . best friend? Nah, they couldn't be, she had only known them for less than a week. Yet it seemed like she had known them a lot longer. She felt like she had seen them before, but she would know if she'd seen four identical boys.  
  
Mai put her arms around her sister's shoulders, and frowned at the distant expression she was wearing.  
  
"Hey, Prida sweetie, you okay?" She asked softly, as Korey put a hand on her other shoulder and looked at Mai.  
  
Prida shook her head, clearing her thoughts and smiled at her sister.  
  
"Me? Me - I'm fine . . ." The expression came back, but less noticeably.  
  
Mai steered her little sister to Korey's car, and shut the door after she had got into the backseat. She stood up straight and looked at the two identical boys - well, now three because the other just joined them away from the paramedics. One of them, the one in the blue bandanna and shirt, looked up. She smiled gratefully at him, and mouthed 'thank you'. She saw him smiled back, and she got into the car, which drove off a second later. Prida in the back, head down, face clouded by that expression.  
  
Leo watched it drive off school grounds and around the building, out of sight. Then he turned back to his brothers.  
  
"I gotta see someone before we go," he said. Then he looked over at the mass of people searching out Matt Hill. He saw him with a large group of people, told Donnie and Raph to wait there, and ran down the sloping field to Mikey's friend. He looked up when Leo reached him.  
  
"Hey Leo - Did'ya hear, someone saved someone else from the fire?!" He asked, excited.  
  
Leo rolled his eyes, but quickly stopped. He should guess that they don't get much action in school - well, until him and his brothers came along.  
  
"Yeah, listen, about you coming over to April's - I mean, our house . . . you know, to see Mikey?" He waited for Matt to nod. "Well, Aunt April is a little . . . erm . . . well, she doesn't like people in her house -" he realised this sounded strange. " - I mean she got mugged a few days ago and is a little jumpy," he added quickly, wondering why the hell he just said that. "And, well, it would be better for her to get over it in a few . . . weeks." He grinned awkwardly.  
  
Matt smiled and nodded once. "Okay, yeah, I understand . . . hey, sorry to hear about her nearly getting mugged . . ."  
  
"Yeah, thanks," Leo said. "Well, gotta go, she worries," he laughed nervously and legged it back to his brothers who were watching his conversation.  
  
"What was that about?" Donnie asked.  
  
"Ah, Mikey's message," Leo said. "C'mon, let's get home." They nodded and took off before anyone could crowd them and start asking what happened.  
  
They ran most of the way home, ignoring the fact that everyone they passed was staring, wondering why the boys were out of school, staring because they were identical, and frowning because Raph was still black. They made it back to April's house puffing and panting, out of breath.  
  
Donnie rapped on the apartment door and waited for it to be opened, which it was, by April, who had said earlier that she would be home before she usually is.  
  
"What happened?" She asked, frowning at Raph's black face and clothes, and at them puffing and sweaty.  
  
"Well let us in and we might tell ya," Raph panted sarcastically.  
  
April moved aside and let them in, shutting the door, but before she did, she glanced out into the hallway, and saw an old face peering out of another door further along, frowning.  
  
Mikey, who was laying comfortably on the couch with a bowl full of popcorn, frowned and lifted himself up at the sight of them. He crunched his popcorn thoughtfully then said:  
  
"Right . . . well, you didn't go through THAT much trouble to bring me homework, did'ya?" He smiled.  
  
Leo, Donnie and Raph groaned, and they all looked up as a door slammed softly and Splinter was standing outside the guest room door. He took in their appearance, gave a quizzical look at Raph's clothes, and walked into the middle of the room, still looking at them.  
  
"Please explain, my sons," he said, seating himself down in his armchair and sitting back, arms on the arms of the chair.  
  
Raph turned to Leo and Donnie. "You explain, I'm taking a shower." And he disappeared upstairs.  
  
Splinter turned his attention, once more, on Leo and Donnie. They both took off their trainers and sat down on the floor. More like collapsed on the floor. April walked from the door to the couch next to Mikey.  
  
Leo, who usually did the explanations (unless it was something complicated and complex, then Donnie spoke) began to tell them what happened; the fire started, Prida was in there, trapped, Raph saved her, blah de blah. He was talking for fifteen minutes, and had so far managed to keep the Foot member as a 'man in the library'. But as Raph came down from upstairs, cleaned, in fresh clothes, clean bandanna and rubbing his hair with a towel, Leo looked Splinter in the eyes and told him what Prida had said to him about the man.  
  
"It was definitely one of the Foot," Leo said nodding. Donnie was as well. "But what I don't get is, if start a fire, what is it's purpose? I mean, I can see it was to get us all out of school, but it couldn't have been to kill Prida. She has no bad history with the Foot. They're not known to anyone but us. I think it was to get us out, so maybe he could do something while we were confused. But why didn't he? I didn't see anything at all."  
  
The phone rang and April picked it up, taking it away from the conversation so she could speak without anything being heard over the other end.  
  
"Me neither," Donnie said as April put the phone down and turned on the TV. "It was pretty pointless, starting a fire for one reason, and not carrying out the main task. Maybe he HAD hoped that someone would be in the library, and when the teachers say that someone is missing, hoped that one of us - or all of us - would go in and save them . . ."  
  
"Good theory, Donatello," Splinter spoke up. "But I do not believe that to be the case. Yes, one girl was trapped, but to get all four of you, as he would have thought, in a burning library, and have you all trapped would not be possible, and he would know it."  
  
"Guys," April said, directing their attention to her, and then to the TV she was staring at.  
  
Vinilla High was on TV, in the background. A female reporter was explaining what had happened today. She had finished her summary of the day's action, and was motioning for the camera to turn and look at something. It was a stretcher, and on it was a covered body. It was burnt, and black.  
  
"Police have said that this body was of the man who was described by one of the survivors as the fire-starter. In his rush to get away from the fire, it appears he must had stumbled, or tripped, falling into his own disaster. The body appears to be that of a young man . . ." The reporter died off into the background as everyone turned and looked at each other.  
  
"We seem to be doing this often," Donnie said, half a smile on his face.  
  
"Man, I'm off for one day and in that time, Raph becomes a hero, school's out for however long and we're one Foot member short!" Mikey said as though this was exactly what they wanted to happen.  
  
His brothers, including April, threw pillows at him.  
  
()()()()  
  
Since the rest of the school day was cancelled, they had nothing to do except stay at home and hear Raph explain what went off in the library. Leo and Donnie made themselves heard that they tried to join him but were cut off my that idiotic teacher who thought their brother had left something inside and they wanted to risk their lives to save it. Mikey laughed at that bit.  
  
"Hey, we wouldn't have known Raph went in if it hadn't of been for Tooks," Donnie said, snapping his Crunchie chocolate bar and popping it in his mouth. He was sat on the couch with Mikey, Leo was sat on the floor with Raph, leaning against the couch. They were watching a movie April had dug out of her bookcase upstairs.  
  
"What? Tooks?" Mikey and Raph both said.  
  
"Yeah," Leo nodded. "Of course he didn't tell us in the manner we would have liked to have known. He asked us what it felt like to be triplets now, and we thought he was on about Mikey, ya know . . . idiot . . ."  
  
All brothers nodded, and eyes returned to the TV screen where Godzilla was trashing buildings.  
  
"What're we gunna do for tomorra?" Mikey asked, crunching more popcorn and handing the bowl to Raph.  
  
Donnie shrugged. "I wanted to go back to those shops we first came by. There was a good gadget shop, and I wanted to have a look at the Internet magazines in there."  
  
"I say we go find some good butts to kick," Raph said through a mouth full of popcorn.  
  
"What, tomorrow?"  
  
"Nah, today."  
  
"You're not keeping up with the conversation, Raph." Leo shook his head, but his brother threw two bits of popcorn at him.  
  
"Hey! Not in my house!" April suddenly came from downstairs, having cleaned the bathtub because it was dirty. She made her way into the kitchen and asked who wanted tea.  
  
"Me," they all said, then as one, all turned their heads to the TV.  
  
April grinned and put the kettle on the boil, bringing out six mugs, as no doubt Splinter, who was in the peaceful silence of the guest room, would want one too.  
  
"Got any plans for your free day tomorrow?" April asked, raising her voice because of the loud kettle.  
  
"I thought we could go see a movie," Leo said, to April and his brothers.  
  
"Yeah, a movie!" Mikey said, trying to wrestle the popcorn bowl away from Raph, who handed it to Donnie, who grinned and took it out of his reach.  
  
"Cool," April smiled, filling the mugs with milk. Mikey liked his tea with half milk and half tea, so basically it was just warm milk.  
  
"What's on?" Raph asked.  
  
"Find out tomorrow," April called; now taking the kettle off the boil and pouring it into the teapot. "You can go and find out and Donnie can go to his gadget shop at the same time."  
  
They agreed then, and all settled back down to watch the rest of their movie. But a few seconds later, Leo frowned about something, and turned to his brother who was sat next to him on the floor.  
  
"Raph," he said slowly, thinking. His brother stopped chomping his apple and looked at him. Leo said, "How did you know Prida was in the library?"  
  
Donnie and Mikey ceased their crunching to listen better. The movie ignored.  
  
Raph shrugged and continued to watch it. "I saw her out of class."  
  
"Yeah, but how did you know she was heading to the library?" Donnie leaned forward, trapping Mikey's foot in- between his stomach and lap as it was resting on his knees. Mikey made a noise and Donnie sat back again.  
  
"She said so."  
  
"When?" Leo asked.  
  
"In Chemistry."  
  
"We don't have Chemistry with her," Donnie said, frowning.  
  
"Nah, I saw her through the glass in the door, and she said she was off to the library."  
  
His brothers all mouthed an 'Oooh'. Even Mikey who tried to be part of the action.  
  
"Oh right, that's why you asked Tyson where his class was," Donnie pointed out. "Prida was in his Chemistry group."  
  
"Yeah, jeeze Don, I should give you a medal for alla this."  
  
"So, what else happed, before the fire?" Mikey sudden spoke up. His brother looked at him. "Hey, I was here all day, with no one to talk to, nothing to do!"  
  
He folded his arms and stuck out his lip. They groaned at him and turned back to the TV, so he unfolded his arms and grinned.  
  
"I missed you guys!" He joked, and threw his arms around Raph's head, who was the closest, covering his eyes.  
  
"Hey! Gerroff me Mikey!" Raph prised his brother's arms off his head, and Mikey giggled and sat back, looking totally comfortable with his injured foot on Donnie's lap, and the other, he now put, on Leo's shoulder with his foot in his face. Leo slapped it away, smiling.  
  
April, who was bringing their teas in, grinned and shook her head. She handed Leo and Raph their tea, went back for Donnie and Mikey's, handed those out and went back for Splinter's. While she knocked on the door, waiting for Splinter, Mikey turned to Leo.  
  
"Did'ya tell Matt about . . . ?" He asked, keeping his voice low. Donnie and Raph frowned.  
  
"Yeah, I er, hadda make up something, though," Leo said.  
  
"What did you say?" Mikey asked, ignoring the other two's looks.  
  
"I said that she had been mugged and that April - "  
  
April, who was walking back, having just given Splinter's his tea, looked up and said, "what?"  
  
"Oh, not you Ape, I meant something's happening at the school in April some time," Leo said quickly.  
  
April shrugged and said she was going to have a bath. She disappeared upstairs, saying it was late so she would go to bed afterwards.  
  
"What are you two on about?" Donnie asked, deciding to voice out his and Raph's question.  
  
"Oh, nothing," Leo said. "Just Mike's friend, Matt, knew where we live and suggested he might come round one time. So I told him . . . a little lie to stop him . . ."  
  
"What lie?" Raph grinned. His perfect brother, lie?  
  
"Oh, just a quick little white lie," Leo smiled. "Just said April didn't like strangers, heh, and, er, she was mugged and is a little edgy around people."  
  
Donnie, Raph and Mikey both burst out laughing. Leo grinned, though he kept his eyes on the TV.  
  
"Leo, have you thought about how odd that is?" Donnie grinned at him. "April is a reporter! She has to be around people, strangers, to do her report!"  
  
"Hey, it just came out," Leo smiled.  
  
After his brothers had calmed down, in which time they joked and imitated what April might do to people on her next report, the film ended and Mikey dropped to sleep as soon as the light from the TV was turned off.  
  
Leo and Raph stood up while Donnie gently moved Mikey's foot off his knees, then he stood.  
  
"Movie tomorrow," Donnie said, smiling, though they couldn't' really tell in the dark apartment. "We can grab some grub from the shops after I've been in the gadget store."  
  
Leo yawned and stretched his muscular arms. "Yeah, 'kay Don," he said sleepily.  
  
All three left Mikey sleeping on the couch, and trudged upstairs, quietly, and into the small room they all shared. It seemed small, but there was enough space for them to curl up on the floor, on top of their little floor-beds. Raph collapsed in his with his towel still on his shoulders. Leo and Donnie talked before they drifted off. Mostly about the Foot member, and if they were acting on Tatsu's orders or someone else . . . It couldn't be the Shredder . . . he was dead. A few minutes after they had settled down and stopped talking, both Leo and Donnie closed their eyes and fell sleep.  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay, SFAM, thanks for reading. No idea what to call this chapter, but thanks to tmnt_luver for it, lol. Thanks 2 u all! Hehe, hey I gat a drawing up on my side7 account, it's my character, holding Mikey's weapons, in an outfit designed by tmnt_luver. Don't it luk great? Lol, thanks, hehe. More story coming . . . 


	19. Movies!

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
The following day couldn't have been better for an autumn period. The sun was shining and the whether wasn't cold but wasn't stifling hot. Just right for most people. At the minute, 'people' in the O'Neil apartment weren't up to take notice. But using the word 'people' doesn't sum up everyone in the place. Splinter was the first to rise and take note of the lovely morning.  
  
He opened his door, and looked into the brightly lit room used as the main room and the kitchen. Even though the blinds were pulled, the sun was bright enough to shine through, and between the gaps.  
  
Splinter did what he does every morning now: Makes himself a cup of tea to start the morning off, and waits for the waking of his sons. One of which was asleep on the couch, smiling about something in his sleep. Splinter smiled at him, and took his place in his armchair, where he sat peacefully, enjoying the morning light and the silence, wishing his sons could have had this long before now.  
  
Upstairs, Leo was the first to rise out of the three identical teenagers in the little room. He opened his eyes, squinting against the light that was shining through the small window. He felt crushed, and turned to see why: both Donnie and Raph (on either side of him) had their backs to him, sleeping on their sides, pressed right against him, crushing him in-between them. Smiling, he slipped out and stretched.  
  
Donnie groaned and rolled over onto his back, his head flopped to the side and he continued to sleep. Raph murmured something slurred, and slept on.  
  
Leo got changed, and was just looking for his bandanna when he realised it was still around his forehead. Shrugging, he made his way downstairs.  
  
The first thing he noticed was Splinter sat perfectly still, eyes closed in his armchair. Next, without moving his eyes, Leo took in Mikey, on the couch, laying on his stomach with his arm dangling to the floor and his injured leg stretched out on the opposite chair arm to the one his cheek was pressed against, giving him a lopsided look. His face showed a small smile that kept twitching ever so slightly.  
  
"Morning Leonardo," Splinter said, opening his eyes and looking at his son.  
  
Leo smiled. "Morning Master Splinter." He bowed respectfully, and sat on the edge of the couch next to Mikey.  
  
"There is tea in the pot," Splinter announced, sipping his own.  
  
"Oh, right," Leo nodded once. He got up and made his drink, and as he was carrying it back to the couch, Donnie appeared on the stairs, rubbing his eyes and yawning.  
  
"Whassa time?" He asked, stretching. He looked for himself at the clock on the wall, and shrugged. He was up early for a non-school day. He stepped heavily off the last step, and made his way to the couch where he flopped down, nearly sitting on Mikey. He muttered an ' Oh, sorry Mike' and tightened his purple bandanna around his forehead; strands of his messy hair fell over it.  
  
Splinter smiled at his son, and watched as Leo came through with Donnie's tea. Leo would always seem like the big brother, as he always looked after the other three, and his Master.  
  
"Thanks Leo," Donnie said, accepting the mug. "Oh well, Movies today, back to school tomorrow. It's amazing what humans have to do in school to get good grades, and eventually get the job they want."  
  
Leo nodded and sat down next to his brother with his own tea. He was wondering why Splinter hadn't called them for practising or meditation yet. Then he hit himself on the head mentally for forgetting that their dojo was down in the sewers and they were up here. And Splinter wouldn't have them sparring in April's apartment. As for the meditation . . . did Splinter perhaps think, since they were now humans, they couldn't really meditate properly? Maybe he thought they had to get used to their forms much better, get to know their new inner power before they expand it to meditation. Leo felt accustomed to his new body, and the things he could and could not do. There wasn't much difference when he came to think about it. But was that because he was getting too used to being human? Yes, turtle and human form look so much different, they should fell different. Leo hoped his Master would call them all into a meditation session soon. HE meditates without a calling from his Master, but as Leader and caring brother, he wanted Donnie, Raph and Mikey to do also.  
  
Leo, lost in his thoughts, didn't realise another brother was up until he sat down next to him on the couch, rubbing his face with his hands and loosening his red bandanna. He pulled it straight and sighed.  
  
"So . . . what were we gunna do today?" Raph asked, looking at Leo and Donnie to his side.  
  
"See a movie, remember Raph?" Donnie said, massaging his forehead.  
  
"What movie?" Leo said, asking his brothers.  
  
"I heard Men In Black 2 is on."  
  
All three brothers looked over their shoulders to Mikey, who was sitting up.  
  
"Cool, we could see what time it's on," Donnie said, smiling and looking at Leo, who nodded.  
  
Soft thudding on the stairs announced April joining them, and she greeted them for the morning. Leo, Donnie, Raph and Mikey all shifted on the couch so there was space for her to sit, but she walked over to the kitchen and sat on one of the stools. They guys shifted back again. Splinter smiled. His sons could be polite when they wanted.  
  
"Decided on a movie yet, guys?" She asked, making her tea from her stool.  
  
"Yeah, Men In Black 2," Mikey said before anyone else could.  
  
"Oh, the first one was very good, so the second should be," April said, sipping her tea and nodding.  
  
Mikey grinned. "You saw the first one? Man it was wicked!"  
  
He started to sing Will Smith's song 'Men In Black'. His brothers groaned and all smothered him in pillows, but he continued until the end. He wasn't that bad a singer, but they all knew that he could sound down right awful at times when he went totally wild. Donnie was the best singer out the lot, Leo was a little quiet when it came to it, but given the chance, and he could sound just as good as his brother in purple. No one had ever heard Raph sing so they didn't know if he was good or bad.  
  
"Nice Mikey," April laughed. "If you took it more seriously, you'd be as good as Don."  
  
"Phugh, I already am!" Mikey grinned, as Donnie went red slightly. The only reason everyone knew he was good at singing was because they had crept up on him two years ago (and from then on) while he was in his room, on the computer or taking a shower. And one Christmas when he had been really brave and sung for the little party they had in front of his brothers, Splinter, April and Casey.  
  
"Yeah right, Mikey could kill cows if he tried, no wait, he doesn't have ter try," Raph smiled wickedly.  
  
"You're jealous," Mikey said simply.  
  
"Have you EVER tried to, at least attempt, to sing, Raph?" April asked him, smiling.  
  
Raph looked disgusted. "No! 'S a Dorky thing."  
  
"Ha, he's goin' red," Mikey grinned at him, pointing.  
  
Leo thought it was time to change the subject before Mikey found himself with a snapped finger.  
  
"What will you be doing today, Ape?" He asked, downing the rest of his tea.  
  
She shrugged. "I'm not in at the office today, maybe go visit Casey . . . haven't seen him in a while."  
  
"Yeah, WE haven't seen him in a while, but you . . ." Mikey smiled along with Raph. "You see him every day, eh? Down at the office all the time in the week . . . not THAT many stories floating around there."  
  
April was smiling, but she opened her mouth to defend herself.  
  
"No Mikey," Raph said, grinning. "There is, loads of stories, tons . . . they're just all base on Casey!"  
  
"You guys are totally . . . horrible!" April said, while Raph and Mikey high fived each other. "My work at the office is about the recent reports that come up around town, about break-ins, robberies -"  
  
"All done by Casey!" Raph and Mikey said together, now enjoying this April torture.  
  
"-And teenagers disturbing the peace," she finished, looking meaningful at them.  
  
"Us, nah, we're little angels," Mikey smiled sweetly.  
  
"Well, from what I've heard from a certain teacher at school, there's a new kind of 'angel' around. Ones that choke their teachers on erasers."  
  
Raph's smiled faded a little. "He deserved it."  
  
"Well, actually I don't like him either, but you four have now got a noticeable reputation in that place. I asked another teacher about you, and she said you seemed like the most popular kids in that school."  
  
"Well, I know how that grew," Leo said, glancing at his brothers, who were looking anywhere but him, April and Splinter.  
  
()()()()  
  
A few hours later the city was much louder, and the air was warmer now the sun had baked it. The guys chose this time to walk down to the shops and let Donnie have a look in that shop he had been annoying them about, then buy some grub for the movie. First they had to see what time it was going to be on before they brought anything.  
  
April had provided them with the money again, and had given it to Leo to look after again. They all wore their coloured T- shirts, with their blue and black jeans, along with their coloured bandannas, and in Raph's case, Casey's baseball cap. Mikey had a backpack on his back for the food and was now limping only slightly. He knew no one was allowed to take their own food in, but had to buy it there.  
  
It only took fifteen minutes to get to and find this shop of Donnie's, but it took a lot longer to finally drag him away when they realised they had already spent a full hour waiting for him.  
  
"Oh - but - I just wanted to look at the uses of -" Donnie tried to argue back as Leo and Raph dragged him out backwards, clutching his arms. Mikey, who had already brought himself a bag of potato chips, walked behind in (in front of Donnie, he was backwards), eating his food and grinning.  
  
Once they were well away from the shop, they released their 'prisoner' and walked towards the cinema. They DID know where that was because they had been to it so many times before. They checked the screen holding the times and the movie names, and realised that their movie, Men In Black 2, was on in sixteen minutes.  
  
"Let's grab the food quick," Mikey said, throwing his empty potato chip bag away. "I'm hungry!"  
  
They walked to the shops, just around the corner and entered the food store. Mikey went to the sweets, and came back a few seconds later with his arms full.  
  
"Mikey, you're gunna be sick, put half of that back," Leo said. "Besides, we're not spending all of April's money on sweets."  
  
Mikey made a sour face and went back. He returned carrying a few things, though still big and sweety. Donnie, knowing they were going to need one, picked up a basket and as soon as he had, Mikey had dumped the sweets in it, and was rushing off to get more potato chips.  
  
"Man, anyone would think he doesn't eat the way he scoffs it down," Donnie sighed to Raph, who nodded.  
  
Leo went to see what was taking Mikey so long getting the food. He rounded the corner and heard his brother talking. Great, Leo thought, his brother talks a mile a minute, and they'll never get to this movie. Mikey'll probably ask his friend to join them.  
  
But as his brother came into view, Leo saw it WAS one of his - their - friends, but not one Leo thought of.  
  
"Hey, Leo," Prida smiled at him from behind Mikey, who turned around.  
  
"Oh, hey," Leo said back. "Nice place to meet, in a food store," he joked. Her examined her closely. She was much cleaner now, of course. She was wearing blue pedal pushers with trainers, and a light purple handkerchief-sleeve top. Leo could see a small, thin line on her leg, which was a souvenir from the bookcase that fell on her yesterday. Her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, and around her neck, as always, was that pendant of a twisted silver fireball.  
  
"I was just here because I was board," Prida shrugged. "Mai's at work, and so's Korey. I was on my own so I thought I'd come rent a movie or something."  
  
"We're going to see a movie," Mikey said, looking at Leo then back at her. "Men In Black 2, looks good, eh?"  
  
He gave Leo a look, and Leo knew what he was asking.  
  
"Cool, haven't seen that one yet," Prida said, taking a bag of potato chips down off the shelf.  
  
"Well, you can do," Leo said, glancing at Mikey, who smiled. "You can come with us, if ya want."  
  
Prida looked at him, then smiled. "That'd be great, thanks. You don't mind?"  
  
"Nah!" Mikey said, now bringing her to walk with him, heading back to the check out counter where Donnie and Raph were waiting.  
  
"Hey, Prida," Donnie looked up from staring at the floor. His face split into a smiled. Raph looked up too.  
  
"Hey guys," Prida smiled, dumping her food down on the counter.  
  
"Hey dudes, s'ok if Prida joins us for the movie, innit?" Mikey asked, putting his own stuff in the basket Donnie was still holding.  
  
"Sure," Donnie said. Raph nodded.  
  
"Thanks, It's just that no one was at home so I had nothing to do except rent some boring movie." Prida said, now paying the man who had put her food in a bag. Donnie put the basket on the counter next.  
  
"Are you okay? I mean from yesterday?" Donnie asked politely.  
  
Prida smiled. "Sure, I'm great - and alive, heh. We were thankful Simmons didn't go and tell the press our names, otherwise we'd have been swarmed, and I hate it."  
  
The others nodded, and fell silent as their food was checked out. They paid the man, stuffed the food in Mikey's backpack, and walked out.  
  
"Time, Mike," Leo said, looking at him as he checked his watch.  
  
"We have four minutes to get tickets and grab some seats," he said, and they sped up a bit.  
  
When they got into the cinema, they cued up in the short line for the tickets. Mikey insisted that he ask for them, and grabbed the money out of Leo's back jeans pocket.  
  
"Five tickets, please," he asked the lady behind the glass window, holding up his hands and showing his two fingers and thumb on one hand, and his first two fingers on the other. The lady gave them the tickets, and they turned, out from the line. Mikey spilt the tickets up for each of them, ignoring Prida saying she'll pay him back.  
  
Prida frowned for a second, thinking something odd. She turned to Mikey, as they were walking towards the food counters.  
  
"Mikey, how did you show five on you fingers?" She asked.  
  
Mikey frowned and held up what he had showed to the lady without thinking. He looked at them, frowning, then saw what Prida meant. He quickly dropped them, and shrugged.  
  
"You could have just held out all five fingers on one hand," Prida smiled. "Forget you HAD five fingers?"  
  
Mikey laughed, but couldn't quite conceal the nervousness in his laugh. His brothers looked at him, showing the same face that quite simply said 'we should watch it'.  
  
Mikey walked up to the food counter and asked for a large popcorn. His brothers and Prida walked up behind him.  
  
"Mikey, we don't need any more food," Leo said in a low voice so the man who was filling up the box couldn't hear.  
  
"Hey, I can't live on just potato chips and sweets, I have to have something else!"  
  
His brothers groaned, and Prida smiled.  
  
Once Mikey had got and paid for his popcorn, they walked over to the woman who looks at the tickets. They each showed her them, and walked down the blue-carpeted corridor to screen six, where Men In Black two would be playing.  
  
The auditorium was dark, and the screen was the only big light source. There were little lights running along the edge of the steps so people didn't trip, and the guys and Prida followed them up to their row, and then sat at the end because no one else was on their row. The whole room wasn't that full; there was a couple to their left, three rows down; a group of kids, younger than them across the room, three more couples, another group of kids, older, about eighteen/nineteen, a few people in front of them slightly to their right. But not everyone seemed to have come in on time.  
  
As the brothers and Prida sat down, Leo at the end ("Arh, good, I can rest my foot now," Mikey said), some more people entered the room with kids, who were making one hell of a racket, and just happened to sit directly in front of Donnie and Prida, two rows forward.  
  
"Great, kids from hell," Donnie muttered to Prida, smiling.  
  
"Hey, remember, we were all one once," Mikey joked. "Of course we were more from hell than most people - ow!" He rubbed his arm where Raph had elbowed him.  
  
To their relief, Prida just laughed, and they were thankful for at that minute the screen darkened slightly and the movie began.  
  
Only fifteen minutes into the movie and they guys and Prida were already laughing. The movie was great, and Mikey nearly choked on his popcorn twice, but one of those times was because Donnie got hit on the head by someone passing on the row behind them, muttering a gruff 'sorry'. Donnie rubbed his head, smiling embarrassedly.  
  
But only a few minutes after the people who had moved and hit Donnie, a couple moved just next to the other couple on the left in front of them, on the end of the row. And the only one recognised one of them was Raph, who glanced at them, then quickly turned his eyes back to them, knocking Mikey on the arm and pointing. Mikey frowned.  
  
"It's Reily!" Raph hissed, Donnie (sat next to Mikey) looked around too. All three sniggered as they saw who Reily was with. It was some tartish woman, face (though they couldn't quite see) was heavily dressed in make-up, and she was wearing flashy garments. She was sat right in front of Leo while Reily was sat right in front of Prida.  
  
Leo and Prida noticed what they were sniggering at, and laughed quietly as well.  
  
Reily jerked his head over his shoulder irritated by their laughs, but he didn't see their faces, only gave them a grunt and muttered 'shut it, teenagers'. He then put his arm around his 'companion'.  
  
This was too much for Raph and Mikey and they were making funny noises trying to restrain themselves from laughing.  
  
Trying to talk, Raph leaned over to Mikey, and, meaning to whisper but instead burst out loudly said:  
  
"I'm gunna be sick!"  
  
Reily, now clearly annoyed, turned around fully in his chair with a hard glare on his face.  
  
"Do you mind?! You selfish, irritating youths!"  
  
It was then he realised who he was talking to, and looked along them all slowly, a sneer now growing on his face.  
  
"Well, well, if it isn't the four identical weirdos," he said. Then he glanced at Prida. "Miss Valantine, sharing four now are we. Now, now, Jo Tooks isn't going to be happy about that, perhaps I should slip him a little note about how you're two - or - four-timing him -"  
  
"Shut up Reily!" She snapped, then blinking at her own bravery.  
  
"Don't you tell me to shut up, young lady!" He said.  
  
"We're out of school boundaries so you can't tell us what to do," Leo spoke up, glaring at the horrible, snotty faced teacher.  
  
"Right, true Leo, but I'll remember this tomorrow." He gave Raph a stare, and he and his girlfriend (sick!) moved far away from them.  
  
"Great, he doesn't have to tell me I have detention tomorrow, I already know." Raph growled. He sat their, angrily, then his face changed and he said, "But that was just sick, man!"  
  
Mikey grinned and they both started to make jokes about what Reily and friend get up to in cinemas, or what they would have gotten up to if they hadn't been there. It turned sick and too funny, that Leo, Donnie and Prida all told them to stop before they throw up. Raph and Mikey sat back grinning, and they all continued to watch the movie.  
  
But only twenty minutes after they had stopped talking, in which time Mikey had finished not only his popcorn but two packets of potato chips and a packets of M and Ms; some kids their own age chose seats right behind Prida and Donnie, and it was when Prida's chair was kicked and she was nearly thrown out her seat that everyone turned around to see Ci Ci Harrington and her gang of tarts grinning back at the evilly.  
  
"Hey Prida," Ci Ci said, not nice, but more contemptuously.  
  
Prida said nothing, but turned back around, eyes narrowed in irritation and anger. Ci Ci had to spoil everything, didn't she? Just a day out with her friends and Ci Ci the dog was there to ruin it.  
  
"My God, Prida, you're out with all four today?" That horrible, tormenting voice said in false surprise. "What did you have to do, hypnotise them?"  
  
Her friends were joining in now. Discussing it loud enough for Prida to hear. The guys were frowning, but they couldn't exactly tell her to shove it. No, this was Prida's problem, and if they defended her then Ci Ci would give her so much hell at school in the classes she had with her. She knew Raph knew this, and she looked at him, to see his fists balled but his eyes on the screen.  
  
"Yeah, must be her eyes, those freaky purple eyes, hypnotises people into what she wants -" The group were giggling pathetically now, so stupidly Prida wanted to turn around and -  
  
"Runs in the family, freakish inheritances. Her sister, well, just a weird one, but Prida . . . whoa, man is she weird. I mean, she could be a witch, the only explanation for this scene in front . . .  
  
All four bros were about to turn around, but Prida whispered to them, "Don't, just ignore them."  
  
They tried to concentrate on the movie, but the voices behind them seemed to raise above the noise, no matter how loud the explosions on the screen were.  
  
" . . . yeah, I heard she uses them on all the good looking guys in the school, I mean, she has Jo Tooks drooling over her, and yet she turns him away, I mean, that's just plain stupid, getting the guy you want and turning him down. Cruel, but I guess she inherited it from the parents, her mom probably. Along with the other bad genes like her purple eyes. No one liked her parents when they were alive, mine practically threw a party -"  
  
Burning rage like nothing she had felt before snapped itself loose inside Prida, and she turned, with a growl, kneeled in her seat and delivered a good, solid punch to Ci Ci's face, whose shocked gasp was cut short and was knocked back, and fell off the chair. Her friends shrieked and dashed back as Prida, now blind with rage was climbing over her chair to Ci Ci, dazed on the floor.  
  
The fours bros had gotten over their shocked surprise, and Leo and Donnie were now standing up to restrain their enraged friend, who was growling much like Raph would at this point.  
  
Ci Ci's friends were staring at Prida with looks that suggested Prida was some rabid animal. They cautiously moved towards Ci Ci, avoiding Prida, and picked up their friend, who's nose was bleeding. Then they ran off very quickly.  
  
Leo and Donnie slowly pulled away from Prida, who dropped into her chair, eyes burning with tears of rage and sadness. She stared at the dark floor.  
  
Leo and Donnie looked at each other, Mikey crunched his food slowly. Then all three turned to Raph, who looked at them.  
  
"What?" He asked, palms raised.  
  
"You didn't . . ." Leo said. " . . . teach her . . . tell her to . . ."  
  
"No! I din't . . . I don't go tellin' people . . . to hit . . . punch people . . ." Raph said, frowning about it and sitting back down in his seat, eyes returning to the screen, but when his brothers had looked away and were directing their attention to Prida, Raph checked to make sure she was okay. His eyes looked from the screen to his friend and he sighed. Ci Ci had to be taught a lesson. But he was glad Prida had punched her. His brothers may not think that was right, but he sure as well did!  
  
Prida, wiping her eyes quickly and sniffing looked up at the screen.  
  
"I'm okay, I'm - sorry about that, she kinda went to far. I snapped . . ."  
  
"Hey, we're okay, we see it often," Leo said, glancing at Raph, whose eyes were fixed on the screen. "Are you okay now?"  
  
"Yeah . . . I'm good, sorry guys," She started to sound herself again. Prida sat up in her chair, and managed a smile. They smiled back at her.  
  
Leo knew what it was like to try and ignore someone. He had tried with Raph, and had once got up and punched his brother, but he was little, and after the punishment he had received from Splinter, he had never done it again. But he had managed to miss bits of Ci Ci's torment and didn't hear everything she said. He knew his brothers could shut it out as well, so they obviously didn't hear what was said, or they wouldn't be so surprised at what Prida did.  
  
She cheered up for the rest of the movie, and the guys were thankful she wasn't a sulky person, but could get over things quickly. Like Mikey. She laughed a faire few times, and by the end of the movie, felt glad it was a film she could laugh at and be cheered up by.  
  
They all walked out the movie smiling and talking about some of the antics used by Will Smith. Mikey was imitating him, and making everyone laugh.  
  
It was still light outside, but was darker than it should be. This was because of the dark rain cloud threatening to burst above the city, and no sooner was this typed than the rain started to fall. Slowly at first, but a few seconds later it was chucking it down so hard, they were soaked to the bone before they went back and reached the shelter of the cinema.  
  
They all turned to each other, faces matted with hair, and wet through.  
  
"Okay, so, who votes we run?" Mikey said, smiling, flicking his head so that his hair flew back and slapped wetly onto the back of his head. His orange bandanna was a darker orange now, and the tails stuck to his back.  
  
"Well, my house is about two and a half miles away," Prida said, sighing. "Mai won't be off work till late, so if you don't see me till tomorrow, I'd have probably drowned." She grinned jokingly.  
  
All bros looked at each other. They were all thinking the same thing. That they should look after her until her sister arrives home, and then take her back, but they couldn't take her back to April's apartment for two reasons. One, she couldn't see Splinter, other wise she would most likely have a heart attack and faint - like they all do. And two, she would know where April lives, and, in Leo's fear, might try to visit on unexpected times, which they didn't want because that would mean shutting Splinter up and the old rat didn't need to be moved every where. But, they all had one idea in their head, and they promised themselves it would just be a one off, for her . . .  
  
()()()()  
  
"Guys, I can't see a thing," Prida said, arms out in case she walked into anything, which she knew she wouldn't because the guys were guiding her. The reason she couldn't see anything was because she had Mikey's bandanna over her eyes (the eyeholes under the fold of material so she couldn't see through them).  
  
"It's okay, we can," Mikey said, feeling slightly bare on his forehead even though it was being pounded on by the fast rain that was still pouring.  
  
They had told Prida that she could come home with them until her sister arrived back home. But as soon as they had gotten within two blocks of April's apartment, they had stopped her, taken Mikey's bandanna off and told her to wear it. She had frowned, but then they said wear it over her eyes, and she frowned even more, asking why. The reason they came up with, was that April didn't really want people to know where she lived, using Leo's little lie that she was attacked a few days ago, and was nervous about youths knowing where she lived. She would understand since it was a friend, but they still said she was a little edgy. Prida had agreed, smiling, and they blindfolded her, Mikey taking her hands and leading her, with Leo and Donnie at her sides and Raph behind her. She found it funny, but to their relief, didn't seem to bothered about it.  
  
They rounded a corner, one that took them in view of April's apartment building. Donnie said he was just going to make sure April was in, and jogged ahead, in truth he was going to explain to Splinter and make sure he was well hidden before Prida arrived.  
  
"Okay, so, who was that that went?" Prida asked, her head held slightly high, as do most people who are blindfolded. Just an automatic thing when you can't see what you're doing.  
  
"That was Donnie," Leo smiled. This whole thing was quite funny, and so far they had only passed one person on the streets who, by the look on his face, thought so too.  
  
"So we're nearly there?" Prida asked, her mouth open, smiling.  
  
"Yeah, just mind the great big, dog that likes to snap at hands on your way in," Raph said, smiling.  
  
"Very funny, Raph," Prida grinned. "You are kidding, right?"  
  
Raph laughed while Leo assured her that he was joking. Mikey, still holding Prida's hands, laughed too.  
  
They guided her through the building, receiving looks from a few passing people, all muttered 'teenagers'. They lead her to the stairs, telling her she was coming to steps. Hopefully, to cover April's track to her apartment even better, Prida wouldn't remember how many lots of steps she had to go up. But Leo knew from Maths that she was smart.  
  
"Are we nearly there?" Prida asked again after a few staircases. "We've been up five sets already."  
  
So much for that plan, Leo thought. "Nearly," he said.  
  
After one more, they turned down the corridor and walked to April's door. Leo opened it an inch, looked through the gap, saw the coast was clear, and pushed it open further.  
  
"Okay," Leo said as Mikey lead Prida in. "Welcome to April O'Neil's home." He smiled as he shut the door, and Raph gently took the bandanna off from around her eyes. He threw it to Mikey, who replaced it over his own head.  
  
Prida looked around the place. "Wow, cool . . . neater than mine . . . nice pad . . ."  
  
Donnie appeared on the spiralling staircase, smiling as he saw Prida was checking the place out.  
  
"Hey, would it be okay if I left a message on Mai's answer machine, in case she gets in and worries about me? Then she can call back and I can leave then." Prida asked.  
  
"Sure," they said.  
  
Prida took off her shoes, and walked over to the phone while Leo went to make drinks, Donnie and Raph seated themselves on the couch and Mikey went to get towels for them to dry off with.  
  
"Hey, it's your fave lil' sister here," Prida said, smiling to the guys who where looking. "I'm at a friend's house, well, some friends' house, they invited me, just up till you get back and call this number, which'll be on that thingy box that shows the numbers called. Then I can come home. Saw a movie, it was great, see ya," she hung up.  
  
"You can sit down, ya know," Leo said smiling, carrying a mug of hot chocolate for the guest.  
  
"Oh, thanks, Leo," she said gratefully. She loved hot chocolate when she had just been out in the cold or rain; she always came back inside to a mug of the stuff.  
  
Raph budged up on the couch, making room, but immediately wished he hadn't because Donnie grinned at him in a way Raph didn't like. But Prida took the friendly gesture and sat down next to him in the space he had made.  
  
"Will April mind me being here?" She asked, realising for the first time (surprised she didn't see before now) that she was the only girl in here.  
  
"Nah, she likes meeting our friends," Mikey said without thinking. He saw the look Leo just gave him and added, "well, female friends . . . which isn't that many so . . . she doesn't see many people, friends . . ." he shut up, and took the mug Leo had just given him.  
  
Prida laughed, and slurped her drink. She didn't feel as uncomfortable as she thought she would, in the apartment with four guys. Just as she was taking another sip from her drink, she noticed something behind the stairs, through the gaps. It was one of their school bags, Mikey's, hint the big 'M' written on it. But poking out of the bag was a handle. At the end of the handle was something shiny, long and thin, with three prongs.  
  
Prida looked back at the TV that Leo had just turned on. Prida had seen those weapons before. But only once, so they couldn't be common around New York. She had seen them in a picture, about something she was greatly interested in. In a clipping she had ripped from a newspaper that was right now stuck to her wall, that she looked at every day, remembering it when she went to sleep at night . . . the weapons had been fastened in a belt . . . attached to someone - or something - in a . . . costume . . .  
  
"Hey Prida, you okay?" Mikey asked.  
  
Prida blinked herself back, and found them all looking at her.  
  
"Yeah, I'm okay . . . just thinking . . . about Ci Ci," she quickly thought up.  
  
"Hey, don't let her get to ya," Raph said, smiling and holding his index finger up to her.  
  
She smiled. "Nah, I won't. She's just a tart, nothing more nothing less."  
  
"That's the spirit," Donnie smiled at her.  
  
Prida remained at April's apartment for another three hours, and during that time April came home for a short while with Casey, who grinned at the guys when he saw Prida was with them. He announced that he was taking April to lunch, and that they would be back a few hours later. April politely started a small conversation with Prida, apologising she was such a bad host. They left, and the guys and Prida continued to watch their movie. Every few minutes one of them would glance to the ceiling, thinking about poor Splinter shut up there. But it wasn't much longer. After the three hours, Prida's sister rang, and said she would pick Prida up. Since Prida couldn't give directions, she told her sister to meet her at the food store down this street they both knew not far from the street she last saw before she was blindfolded.  
  
"We can take ya," Leo said, motioning himself and his brothers.  
  
"No, you don't have to," Prida said. "You already let me stay here, I don't wanna be a bother."  
  
"Nah, besides, we have to blindfold ya again," Mikey smiled. Prida smiled back.  
  
They all put their soaking shoes back on, and did the same routine as before to Prida with Mikey's blindfold, which was now dry.  
  
Going down the stairs was a lot harder than coming up. Prida slipped twice, and took it slowly. Finally they got to the bottom, and hurried it slightly. It was now dark, and the rain made visibility worse. But they made it up to the 'safe street' and took Mikey's bandanna off Prida. She looked around, blinked and smiled.  
  
"Thanks you guys, but you don't blindfold every girl who comes to your apartment." She laughed, and so did they.  
  
Bright lights flickered on in a car parked across the street, opposite them. They couldn't see much because of the darkness and the rain, but they heard a car door slam, and the wet slaps of feet walking towards them.  
  
"Prida!" It was Mai.  
  
"Hey, Mai," Prida smiled. She loved saying that. (it rhymes, in case that wasn't clear)  
  
"Oh, thanks for looking after her till I got back," Mai was saying to the guys.  
  
"No problem, but we'll send the bill for the vase she broke, the plate, the glass, the antique -" Mikey said grinning.  
  
Prida hit him playfully, and he laughed.  
  
"See ya tomorrow," she said, and was steered out of the rain to her sister's car. The guys waved, and watched it drive off. Then they turned and started to walk back.  
  
"Great, school, and Reily's gunna be hell," Raph grumbled, hands in his jeans pocket.  
  
"Well, if he is," Mikey started. "Maybe he'll create another fire and we can go home again!"  
  
They all groaned at him, and disappeared into the night's rain, heading home, and preparing for school the next day.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Sorry the ending was rushed, it IS late though! (looks at watch) it is exactly 12:00! So, SFAM, and thanks for the reviews, lol, I've been called Ziptango, thanks Mily, lol, nah, I'm not taking that as an insult, as Ziptango has a very good story going, so I'll take it as a compliment, lol. Hey, ya know what was freaky? When I was doing the bit where they were watching MIB2, I had my music on and that song just happened to come on, lol. But it was the first film song, so . . . (sigh) more coming, my fingers are nothing but stubs becoz I'be been pounding at this keyboard for way to long, lol. Thanks y'all! More a-coming, and as I said before, all this IS leading somewhere, but I'm nat saying anything . . . it'll spoil it . . . hehe, (evil laugh), so, g'night friendly reviews and authors! 


	20. Back To School

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"C'mon guys, we're gunna be late!" Leo yelled to his three brothers from the bottom of the stairs.  
  
It was a few minutes before school starts, and they still had to walk there. Donnie, Raph and Mikey had got up late, while Leo had risen bright and early. His brothers were still upstairs, getting changed, or combing their hair, which Leo had done an hour ago.  
  
"Nearly . . . 'dy, Leo!" Mikey called down, the word 'ready' muffed because he was pulling his orange shirt over his head.  
  
Leo glanced at the clock, and picked up Mikey's bag. Donnie's was upstairs, as he had been doing homework late last night.  
  
April had been out all night, and had got back in the early hours of the morning, so she was still in bed. Splinter was in his room, having had his morning tea. He was not at all angry to his sons for bringing a friend home, but he did warn them to be careful if they had to bring anyone else home, which they assured him they wouldn't. Prida was a one off.  
  
Leo looked up as his brother came bounding down the stairs, Donnie was just pulling his shirt over his chest, but one arm was caught in the sleeve. He tripped and nearly flew into Mikey, who was in front. But he stopped himself, and smiled sheepishly. Raph came behind them, carrying Donnie's bad, his hair a sandy mess.  
  
"Why were you guys so late?" Leo asked, pointing at the clock on the wall.  
  
"I had to find my gameboy, the one I always leave here," Mikey said. "I get bored in some class," he added when he saw the disapproval in Leo's face. "I've only got one game in it so I could finish it quick and have to get back to boring work."  
  
Donnie smiled, and took his bag off Raph. Both were smiling at their Mikey, who shrugged, grinning.  
  
Leo threw Mikey's bag at him, and his brother caught it. He saw Mikey's eyes widened quickly, then return to normal at something on his bag, something that was sticking out, but he quickly smiled at Leo, and hastily shoved whatever it was back in, out of Leo's sight.  
  
Glancing suspiciously at Mike, Leo called, "Ok guys, let's go."  
  
They dashed out of the apartment, calling quick goodbyes to Splinter and April. They ran down the stairs taking them two at a time, and burst out into a cold, frosty day; quite the opposite of yesterday. Turning down the street, they ran flat out for a few minutes, cutting the fifteen-minute walk to school down to a seven minute run. They reached the school only three minutes after the bell, but everyone had cleared the hallways and they were the only ones left running to their form rooms.  
  
"Hope we're not late," Donnie said to his brothers and they rounded the corner, all four of them skipping on their right feet to avoid falling at such a tight corner.  
  
"You're late," their form tutor said as they bounded into their room, panting and shifting their bags on their backs. Leo, Raph and Mikey looked at Donnie, who sighed and shook his head.  
  
()()()()  
  
After registration, in which leaflets were handed out about school events and news (mentioning the fire rescue, names included) and warnings about going near the burnt library, the guys went off to their class, which they were all separate in, except Leo and Raph who had P.E Theory together.  
  
Mikey's classroom was the closets, and since all of them had to go down that corridor to get to their own classes, they all walked together.  
  
Just as they got to the Arts corridor, they heard a stern, mature voice, and as they rounded the corner, they saw a teacher, who Mikey pointed out to be his Art teacher, and one person who they were glad to see being told off: Jo Tooks. He was standing, looking very bored, looking at the wall behind the Art teacher. He glanced the bros, and shot them a glare.  
  
Mikey, saying bye to his brothers, turned into the classroom Tooks and the teacher were standing outside of. He grinned at Tooks before he went in.  
  
The other three continued on to their classrooms, meeting one of Donnie's friends on the way. He had Tyson disappeared into their Geography room, leaving Leo and Raph to walk on to the sports hall for P.E Theory.  
  
First class whizzed by, and to Mikey it seemed he had only just walked in the Art room before he was walking out. He had heard why Tooks was being told off, as his friend, Matt, had said he saw Tooks ripping some Art work off the walls for fun. He hadn't got away with it. Instead, he had been forced to stick other pieces of Art to backboards on the wall, using the wall stapler. He had been working on the wall near where Mikey sits, and kept glancing at the work on the desk done by the artist of the four brothers. Mikey could tell he was impressed. Tooks hadn't seemed to master the art of masking facial expressions, but he did show it in a funny way. Mikey had been working on a picture of one of his favourite characters from a game - Rayman. He had drawn him in less that five minutes, and took another five minutes to do shading. This wasn't part of his project in Art, this picture was drawn because he liked it. Tooks saw it, but quickly got back to his stapling. He had been removed from his other class to do this, and Mikey was pleased to see, when he was walking (limping) out later on that Tooks was wincing in pain from the many paper cuts he had received.  
  
"Hey, Mikey," Matt suddenly said as they were walking to next class, which Matt had told him was French, and he had it with him.  
  
"Yeah?" Mikey asked, looking around the crowd for his brothers.  
  
"Sorry to hear about your aunt."  
  
Mikey turned around, frowning. "What?"  
  
"Ya know, when she got mugged."  
  
Mikey remembered the lie. "Oh! Yeah - er - that's okay."  
  
"Anyway, I'm glad your foot's okay, I thought it would take much longer to heal," Matt said.  
  
Mikey smiled proudly. "Yeah, well, turtles heal faster."  
  
It was Matt's turn to frown. "What? Turtles?"  
  
Mikey realised what he had said. "Oh, I mean me and my brothers, heh, have this funny thing about calling them animals . . . like you do . . ."  
  
Matt smiled. "Oh, like turtles are slow, so are your brothers?"  
  
"Turtles aren't THAT slow," Mikey said, wishing they'd get off the subject.  
  
Matt shrugged, frowning. His friend was a little obsessed with turtles. That wasn't the first time he had mentioned them in front of Matt. Once, in one class, he had said something else . . . something like 'Turtles rules!'. Matt shrugged it off. Everyone had a favourite animal. His was dogs.  
  
Since Mikey or any of his brothers hadn't had a French calls yet, he let Matt lead the way, hoping his brothers had an escort to get to the room. Most likely Prida was in their class and was leading them.  
  
The French room was fairly big, and all along the walls were paper with French words written on them, and pictures of the Eiffel Tower, stuff frenchy, and things done by students. Mikey and Matt took the desks at the back of the room, where there were plenty for Mikey's brothers, if they got there before anyone else got them.  
  
Leo, Donnie, Raph and, sure enough, Prida arrived a few seconds later, panting slightly, from the looks of their flushed faces they appeared to have ran. They grabbed desks next to Mikey, who quickly told them about Tooks. They all appeared happy about it.  
  
The French teacher was a woman, called Mrs Kei. She was strict, but nice when the class was behaving. She set them work straight away from books she handed out, and the class went at their own pace. She was nice as she did allow talking, but any funny business and she can be loud, so Prida and Matt and said.  
  
Mikey looked at the work they had been set.  
  
"I don't know any of this!" He hissed to Raph.  
  
"Neither do I!" He whispered back, so Prida or Matt couldn't hear them. They were positive that they should know this stuff at the age they were, but having never been to school, they were bound not to.  
  
They both looked over at Leo, who was making the same face they were, confused about the work, and then the three of them looked across to Donnie, who was staring at the book. They were surprised he wasn't already burning pen nib to paper, but a second later, Donnie seemed to know what he was doing, and WAS burning pen to paper.  
  
"Just follow me guys," he said, knowing they were staring. "I know this stuff."  
  
"How?" They said together, staring at him.  
  
He looked up. "The Internet offers a wide range of language tutorials, and considering I used to go on it twenty-four seven, I'm surprised you're surprised."  
  
They started.  
  
Donnie sighed and shifted his desk closer to Leo's, who was the nearest. He passed his piece of paper over.  
  
"Here, just copy that down, you'll get the idea."  
  
So, for that class they mostly copied Donnie, or at least Raph and Mikey did. Leo was determined to learn by himself. He thought to himself it would be a lot easier if they did Japanese classes. Master Splinter would help with the difficult ones in that.  
  
The class ended rather quickly, and everyone got up as the bell went, signalling the start of their twenty-minute break. Everyone filed out, while Donnie was still writing, repeating 'I've nearly finished . . '  
  
His brothers rolled their eyes, and heard Prida and Matt talking about something. They listened in, while Donnie was practically starting a fire with the paper he was writing that fast.  
  
"You got a date yet?" Prida asked, grinning, a teasing tone in her voice.  
  
"Me? Nah, I ain't getting one, never had one," Matt was saying. "I always go with m' mates. You comin' this year? You didn't go last, did ya?"  
  
"No . . ." Prida shrugged, smiling, slight sadness in her small frown. "Had no one to go with either . . . and no friends really . . . don't get me wrong, I HAD friends, they moved . . . or became part of Ci Ci's gang."  
  
"What you guys on about?" Mikey asked. Behind him Donnie was packing his things away.  
  
"The disco that's coming up two weeks Friday," Matt said, turning to them, and wondering why Mikey was smiling at him like that.  
  
"Cool!" Mikey exclaimed. "A disco, wow, never been to one with huma - er, friends before." He quickly glanced at his brothers, who where staring at Matt and Prida, seeing if they guess the word Mikey tried to cover up.  
  
"I'm ready," Donnie spoke up." Shall we go?"  
  
As they walked out of the French block, Mikey moved closer to Prida.  
  
"Hey, Pri?" He said as she looked at him. "Heard ya talking 'bout that disco, and ya said y'aint had no one to go with . . . well, I'll letcha know I'm available!" He grinned.  
  
Prida laughed. "Thanks Mikey, that's sweet! But one problem: I don't go to them cause girls have to wear skirts or dresses, or anything smart, and I don't have anything like that . . . me? Wear a dress? Phugh, yeah right!" She laughed along with the others.  
  
Mikey noticed Matt's face when he spoke to Prida. He knew his friend like her, as do a lot of guys at the high school. Mikey had seen some check her out quite often, and he didn't blame them. She was a very pretty girl.  
  
"You'd look really pretty in a dress," Matt suddenly said, and went bright red.  
  
Mikey flashed him a knowing smile.  
  
Prida also went slightly red. "Thanks, but I hate them . . ."  
  
"Aw, c'mon, Prida," Mikey said. "I wanna go, and I want you to be there . . . I mean, I can't just dance with Raph, he's terrible! And I'm sure he'd want you to save a dance for him!" Mikey laughed, as well as everyone but Raph, who couldn't help smiling a bit, but went red and grabbed Mikey, showing his fist, warning him not to do it again. Mikey just grinned.  
  
"Well, I'm for it," Donnie said, glancing back at his brothers, who were just behind them. He was walking with Leo in front.  
  
"Same here!" Mikey said, and turned to Matt. "Hey, you'll be hanging with us right?"  
  
"You bet!" He said enthusiastically. "Oh, and be warned, they play some weird music, its good, but different."  
  
"Cool!" Mikey said. The idea of going to an actually disco, with humans, was too exciting, so now all he would able to talk about the next two weeks is this disco.  
  
They only just got to their lockers, where Mikey shoved something in Raph's locker, and a few minutes later the bell rang for next class.  
  
As Raph was shutting his locker, Tooks passed by and put a hand on Prida's shoulder. She jumped, as he leant his face closer to hers.  
  
"You'll be mine at this disco," he whispered to her, and she made a disgusted face.  
  
Raph heard this, and turned around to deal with Tooks, but something that had been causing him problems with shutting his dinted locker fell out, one of them did anyway. It clanged metallically on the floor, and Prida and Tooks just got a glimpse of it before Raph scooped and picked it back up, shoving it back into his locker and slamming it shut, casting a nervous eye at Tooks, who was frowning.  
  
"Why the hell have you got . . . big. . . forks in your locker?" He asked, suspiciously.  
  
"None of yeh business," Raph snapped, stepping forward menacingly.  
  
Smart enough to know when Raph gets mean (even after the little time of knowing him), Tooks backed off slowly from Prida, evil eyes on Raph. He was thinking . . . and Raph didn't like the way he was staring. Tooks had seen those things - weapons - somewhere, and he knew where. But the possibility that where he had seen them, was the place Raph had got them from had to be impossible . . . or was it . . . Took disappeared to his class, which happened to be their next one.  
  
"C'mon you two," Donnie called. He, Mikey and Leo were waiting for them. Matt behind with Tyson who had joined. "We've got R.E."  
  
Raph and Prida caught up with them, and ran upstairs, already late for their next class, which turned out to be every boring today. Though, Leo and Raph admitted that it was much better since Donnie and Mikey were back with them in classes. Last week, at the end, they hadn't been in a few classes, so it was Leo and Raph on their own.  
  
The class dragged on, and nothing remotely interesting came up. Tooks, who was sat at the back, only two rows behind them (the first row behind them was empty) with his gang, kept sniggering at something.  
  
Mikey, bored to death, glanced at what the teacher was doing. She was busy dealing with someone who had been flicking paper bits, and the noise in the classroom was working to Mikey's advantage as well. He pulled out his gameboy, and started to play, hiding it under the desk, and looking as though he was grinning triumphantly at his crotch to anyone who couldn't see what he was really doing.  
  
Prida leant over to him, ignoring the whistles from Tooks to her. He was directly behind her and Mikey, but two rows back he couldn't see what Mikey was playing, but could see the gameboy.  
  
"Whatcha playing?" She asked, glancing at the teacher then back at the game.  
  
"Rayman!" Mikey declared, and whooped as he finished another level.  
  
Tooks, having listened to it, sat back in his chair. 'Rayman'. This Mikey was obsessed with this character. He played the games, he drew pictures . . . pictures . . . Tooks thought of something, ignoring his friends laughing at something . . . 'Mikey' . . . that name had to be short for something, Tooks thought. And he had an idea what.  
  
R.E finished a slow half an hour later, and for Mikey, two levels later. As they were coming out, Tooks, who seemed to have a fascination with putting his hand on Prida, put it again on her shoulder. She shook it off, and watched him smile eerily, disappearing into the crowd of people. She shuddered slightly. She hated it when he touched her.  
  
"Prida?"  
  
She snapped out of her stare, eyes still on where Tooks had disappeared. Mikey had called her name, remaining behind for her as his brother walked away, talking about things with Matt Hill, unaware she wasn't following.  
  
"Oh, sorry, coming," she said, and trotted up to him.  
  
()()()()  
  
After that class, which was Physics, and a very boring but complicated physics at that, they headed to the canteen quickly before all the tables were taken.  
  
The canteen was big inside, and the chairs were two colours, blue and bluey-green.  
  
Leo, Donnie, Matt and Prida grabbed trays, while Raph and Mikey grabbed a large table for all of them. Tyson had asked if they could save him a seat, as he had nipped off to the toilet.  
  
"I want PIZZA!" Mikey yelled to his brothers across the noise-growing canteen, deafening Raph who he bellowed past to Leo, who was asking what they wanted, even though they couldn't hear him.  
  
"Mikey!" Raph growled, rubbing his ears. "Do ya wanna shout any louder?"  
  
Mikey grinned. "I'm just hungry. A guy can get loud when he's 'ungry!"  
  
"I'm surprised you ain't loud twenty-four seven!"  
  
A few minutes later, Leo, Donnie, Matt and Prida (who was sharing a tray with Matt and Tyson) sat down at the table with the food. Leo handed Mikey two steaming pizzas, and a packet of chips, along with a slab of flapjack; handed Raph a pizza slice and a flapjack, and himself and Donnie the same as Raph.  
  
"Wow, you must be hungry," Prida laughed as Mikey scoffed down his food.  
  
"Nah, he's always like that," Donnie said, smiling, and tucking into his own.  
  
Tyson came back and sat down on the chair Mikey had reserved for him, next to Donnie. He grabbed his food that Prida pointed to, and started to eat, much like Mikey.  
  
Matt and Tyson started a conversation about family, and the funny things that happen in them. Everyone else joined in, except Mikey who was eating to fast to talk, and Prida who just listened with a saddened look upon her face, trying to smile when they all laughed at something funny said by either Tyson or Matt, who had full families. Occasionally Donnie would say something about his brothers to Tyson, but Leo and Raph only laughed. Prida was wishing they could change the subject. Mention of good times in families made her upset, she wished she could crush her feelings down, but if they asked her, she would probably get a tight throat, and watery eyes. It always happened when she was talking to her sister about their parents. She could manage to not cry, but it was obvious she would be trying to stop it by her red eyes, and how her lip trembled as she bit it to stop herself crying.  
  
Unfortunately, Tyson saw her blinking furiously, and was about to ask her what was wrong when Raph also noticed, knew what was wrong and quickly changed the subject.  
  
"Hey Tyson, didn't you say you work somewhere?" He asked, his brothers still staring at Prida, but Matt and Tyson's attention on Raph. "Where?"  
  
While Tyson blabbed on, not looking at anyone while he talked, and laughing and sharing jokes with Matt, Raph and his brothers turned to Prida, who was still blinking back her watery eyes, but her lip had stopped trembling and she couldn't feel any more tears brewing.  
  
"You okay?" Raph asked softly.  
  
She managed a grateful smile. "Yeah, thanks Raph." She got up. "I'll be right back." She walked towards the toilets.  
  
Matt and Tyson were still talking, patting Donnie on the arm to get him in the conversation, and looked up briefly as Prida left the table, but carried on.  
  
"What was wrong with her?" Leo asked in a low voice.  
  
Raph shook his head. "I dunno if I'm ta say, but lets just say 'family' is an upsetting topic in her household . . . also, hint her sister being the one who looks after her . . ."  
  
Leo, Mikey and Donnie realised what he was saying, and all looked pretty bad for her, muttering their 'sorries' for her, even though she wasn't there. But Mikey told them that she was like him, and would get over it in a short time.  
  
Lunch soon went, and Tyson said he had to go do something just before afternoon registration. He disappeared, while the rest got up and cleared their table. Mikey quickly went back to see if there was any more pizza, and kept saying that there would be nothing wrong with the school pizza. Who would poison them? His brothers answered 'the teachers!'. They walked out of the canteen, and stopped.  
  
"Prida's been a while," Leo said, reading his brother's minds.  
  
"Should we go check?" Donnie asked, looking at his brothers.  
  
"What? Walk into the Girl's Room!?" Mikey said. "No thanks!"  
  
"We'll just walk there, see if she's not anywhere near it and walk back again," Leo said. "It's nearly time for the bell, so it won't hurt."  
  
They agreed, and started to walk, rather slowly, towards the Boy's Room, which is sure to be near the Girl's room. The corridors were deserted, so they would hear or see her.  
  
But just as they got to the corner in the corridor, they heard something, and slowed down, frowning slightly. It was a voice, but it was drawn out so smoothly, and beautifully that they didn't realise that it was someone singing. It was a beautiful voice, singing a mystical, sad-like song. They rounded the corner and saw the girl stood there, back to them, brushing her long, red hair in front of the mirror on the wall just outside of the Girl's Room. She had her eyes closed at that second, so didn't see them in the mirror. She continued her song, and opened her eyes. They darted to the guys' reflection in the mirror, and she snapped her head up and turned around, her face already red.  
  
"Guys," Prida said. "I didn't see you . . . er, sorry -"  
  
"Was that you singing?" Mikey asked in awe.  
  
Prida's cheek went even redder, if possible. She nodded and shoved her hairbrush in her bag.  
  
"That was beautiful," Donnie said, smiling at her.  
  
The bell rang at that second, and Prida walked past them.  
  
"C'mon, we'll be late," she said, and walked past the guys with their eyebrows raised. They shut their mouths and followed her.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
SFAM, thanks for the reviews, and thanks to the people who put me in their stories. Check out my side7 account! Heh, adios people! 


	21. Another Plan

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Wednesday night was darker than the rest of the week. It was late, and the city was pretty quiet considering it's reputation and numbers. The night was cool, made even cooler by the breeze that floated around, and softly brushed against people's exposed faces. But only those people who were out and about at this time of the night.  
  
All schools were closed, all shops were shut, and most people were in bed. But there were a whole group of black clad men, trained in the martial arts and making their way into an old, large warehouse; all followed one man, if he could be called one: Shredder.  
  
Shredder could be unfair at times, sometimes when he's in a good mood. But hearing the disaster at the school, he was not in a happy one. Of course the news that two people escaped was no concern of his. He couldn't care less if they died, and from recent news just brought in by one of his troops, wished one of them HAD. No. What made him steam was that he entrusted this job of his to one of his Foot soldiers, and he makes a mess of it and get himself killed. That man was obviously no proper Ninja. The job was only half carried out, and in obvious blind panic of being seen, had caused his own death by staggering into the fire. Shredder wasn't happy. His enemies may now have guessed what it had all been for, and the true Ninja carries out an assassination properly, fading away, without a trace.  
  
Now, Shredder paced the dark, cold, stone room he had dubbed his headquarters inside the warehouse. There was nothing in here except an old desk and an old, large chair. Nothing on the walls, nothing on the floor. And the only beings in there was him, and Tatsu, his second in command, who stood perfectly still, only his eyes moving as he watched his Master pace in the shadows.  
  
"Idiot . . ." Shredder rasped in his deep voice. "Fool . . . I should not have sent an incompetent kid to do a Ninja's job . . ."  
  
His cloak billowed behind him as he turned once more for another round of pacing.  
  
"Now they know . . ." he carried on. "They'll be much more careful . . . much more . . . and it was a perfect chance while their defences were low!"  
  
He slammed his fist down on the desk and remained there for a few seconds, in which time his cloak, which had been whirled about as he attacked the table, floated down noiselessly to the floor. Shredder stood up straight, but didn't continue his pacing.  
  
Tatsu could not see his face, it was behind a metal mask anyway, but it was in shadows. Even though he did not look at Tatsu, Shredder's next question was aimed at him.  
  
"Have you found this man yet?" He rumbled, keeping his voice controlled.  
  
"Not yet," Tatsu replied quickly and gruffly. "Our scouts are searching the street every night."  
  
"Good," Shredder said, more quietly. Then spoke up. "I want him found. He cannot leave this city . . . he must clear up this mess he has created . . . he has given my enemies more freedom. It is not good. He will not leave until he has set it right . . . he is searching for them, while they search for him . . . and when they find each other, will we have them both. One for the killing, and the other for my victory; I will take over this puny city, and it will be all too easy with the power he will give me . . ."  
  
Shredder paused, and silence settled into the room. It didn't even look like the two were breathing. Nothing moved, but then Shredder turned and walked a few steps to his left, obvious to his posture he was thinking.  
  
"Have our scouts identified ALL four . . . teenagers?" He asked.  
  
"Yes Sir," Tatsu said, still standing perfectly still. "They are all identical, and are easily spotted . . . reports are they are in the company of a teenage girl . . . the one they saved."  
  
Shredder was silent for a few seconds. "A girl . . ." His enemies were human now, so obviously they had made . . . friends . . . and this girl seemed to stand out. Maybe this could work to their advantage.  
  
"This girl . . ." Shredder said. "Would be excellent bait for a trap . . . and given time, say a week or so, they will obviously . . . bond. That O'Neil woman is too well hidden, and well known . . . too much to bother with. The rat is protected under them as well . . . but the girl would be easy . . . all it takes . . . is time . . ." 


	22. Thoughts, feelings and a little bit of t...

Radical Transformation

   Leo sat up soundlessly as his two brothers slept silently to the side of him. Donnie was in the middle this time, but Leo hadn't lent on his brother as he had done to him the previous night, and Raph had rolled off the sheets onto his stomach far from Donnie, except that Donnie had obviously moved and now lay on Raph's outstretched arm. That was going to be numb when he woke.

   Leo smiled. It was early in the morning, judging from how tired he felt. He wasn't THAT tired, but more so that when he usually got up. He didn't know why he had awoken so early, but now that he was awake, he wanted to use this time to think. To think about the path he and his brothers were now walking down at this minute in their life.

   Leo stretched, and got up, changing only his shorts that he slept in. He left his grey shirt on, and pulled on a pair of trainers, though whose they were he didn't know. They had all come upstairs yesterday with their sneakers on. Except Mikey, who was still sleeping on the couch. He said it was more comfortable than the floor, but they all knew that Mikey rolled around too much in his sleep, and wanted to sleep by himself. His brothers didn't argue; they had all been crushed by Mikey some time before.

   Tiptoeing to the door, Leo opened it quietly, glanced back at his brothers sleeping (Donnie had now rolled over completely, burring Raph's arm), and slipped out the room, shutting it gently behind him. He made his way down the stairs, and into the room, where Mikey was half on the floor. His top half was on the floor, while his legs were on the couch. He seemed comfortable, so Leo left him, and walked over to the kitchen window where he climbed out. It was easier this way, he wouldn't have to unlock the front door, lock it again and take a key with him. He just hoped no one would get up before he gets back and close the window.

   As he climbed out onto the roof, a gust of cool, fresh wind blew around him, ruffling his already messy hair, and making his bandanna tails flick over his shoulder. Leo walked out, past a set of thin, metal stairs running to the root's fire exit, and to the open bit of the roof. He sat down at the edge, letting his feet dangle. Most people would find this dangerous or too nerving to be this close; but Leo found it relaxing. He could now watch the sun rise higher, as it was only just peaking above the buildings of New York, creating a beautiful amber glow around it. Leo sighed, and let the thoughts he had kept until now let loose in his head. He had kept them back because he had been having too much fun and been busy with school. But they were distractions now. Putting him and his brothers off when they were meant to be searching for this man. Leo knew he was out there. It was a feeling. This, and some other thoughts floated through his head, each one being thought about for a few minutes, then pushed aside for the others to be heard.

   He stayed there for a long while, not realising what time it was. But it couldn't be late because he was still keeping an eye on the position of the sun, and it wasn't high enough. Splinter may be getting up soon, but his brothers would still be asleep for another hour. Leo took a break from his thoughts, and looked down at the streets and roads miles ahead of him. He watched a few early people walking to work, or going to the shops. Leo's eyes fell on a manhole in the alley just before him. It was a manhole that he and his brothers used to use frequently. But he noticed that there was no more blocks around it, signalling work being done. He looked back up to the buildings in front of him. He supposed after two weeks they should have finished whatever pipeline work they were doing. But that didn't mean their home had been left alone as well.

   Leo sighed. _We will have to find another home, yet again,_ he thought. But just how long will they have to keep running to protect themselves? What if that home was discovered, and the one after that? But being human, they didn't have to hide from humans. And they couldn't stay here with April, if they never changed back. They were too much for her. Four teenage boys, Ninjas at that in one apartment. It was amazing they hadn't already torn up the place be accident. Leo smiled. His brothers could get carried away and not realise.

   His thoughts drifted off to his new school, one that they should be leaving soon, telling the lie that they would be returning to LA. Leo suddenly felt something, and realised it was guilt. Guilty that he, and his brothers had befriended people at school, and would be leaving them with only a lie. And a pang of loneliness when he realised he would no longer see any of them again. Prida popped into his mind, and his eyebrows turned down slightly. They had become really good friends to her, and she to them. She had been kind, considerate, but had done one bad thing: Gotten too far into Leo's heart, and his brothers'. The pang inside him was now sadness. He knew this would happen, he was angry for letting it happen, even though he was the voice who said no to himself and his brother about making friends. Prida seemed to have adopted them, and was, what Leo could now call, best friends with Raph. She would be devastated when they finally had to leave. Leo had seen the look in her eyes at that day with the fire incident. She knew they had to leave, and she had looked so sad. Leo knew, however much she was like Mikey, that when they leave, it would be the hardest thing for her to accept and recover from . . .

    Glancing at the sun one last time, Leo got up, and just stood and stared at the city for a few seconds. It was a shame they hadn't been allowed this freedom before now. Hadn't been allowed to check out the city – their own home. Leo turned away and walked back to the window, feeling somewhat better since he had been able think about a few things that had been on his mind. But he would not feel completely better until all of this was cleared, and if possible, have their old home back.

   The window was still open, and Leo slipped through it and onto the kitchen tiles. He noticed Mikey had completely fallen off the couch, but had not woken up. Leo smiled at his brother, and tucked the sheets back over him. Mikey moaned, but still did not wake. He could sleep all day and night if allowed.

   It was about this time that Splinter wakes, and sure enough, as soon as these thoughts entered Leo's head, his Master appeared suddenly in front of him, smiling. Leo bowed respectfully, and smiled back.

   "Good morning, Master Splinter."

   "Morning, Leonardo."

   Leo walked into the kitchen as Splinter was sitting down, and started to boil the kettle. He knew Splinter would have one, as he does every morning. He realised that Splinter had known it was him, and not one of his brothers. He looked down. Yes, he still had his grey shirt on, which meant he was indistinguishable from his brothers. Leo smiled. His Master could tell them apart not just by the aid of colours. Just like Prida, who had grown to recognise them instantly apart from each other. Leo still found that pretty amazing for her to learn so quickly.

   At eight O'clock, everyone was up and sitting in the room, either on the couch, the floor, or the kitchen counter. All supplied with a cup of tea, thanks to Leo. It was one of those rare mornings were Leo's brothers actually got out of bed earlier than usual, and congregated peacefully downstairs. At the minute, Leo had raised one of the topics he was thinking about for them to discuss: Friends.

   "So, whose got how many so far?" April asked, smiling. She, at least, was making a game out of this. Who could get the most friends first.

   "Well, I think Mikey and Donnie have without realising it," Leo smiled as his brothers frowned. "Well, I've heard quite a few people talking about the smart quadruplet, and if he would teach them how to understand this and that."

   Donnie went red, and mumbled something.

   "And Mikey, who everyone laughs at around school because he's the joker." Leo no longer felt angry at them for making a show. He realised how much making friends was to them, and how proud they felt to be fitting in and HAVE friends. His brothers felt genuinely happy, and that made Leo happy.

   "What about yourself?" April asked putting her mug down on the kitchen counter and folding her arms. She was still in her white, bathrobe, as were Leo's brothers still in their nightclothes.

   Leo didn't answer straight away. Truth was, he had made no separate friends, but Prida. His thoughts rested on Roxanne, but he only spoke with her once or twice . . . though she did smile at him in the corridor whenever they walk by.

   "Just Prida, who seems to have adopted us," Leo said softly, chuckling.

   "She's a nice girl," April nodded. "I fell bad to have left so quickly that day. Didn't get to know her that well."

   Leo looked guiltily at Splinter, who was sat in his armchair, smiling. He still felt bad about shutting Splinter away.

   Splinter seemed to know what his son was thinking when his eyes shifted to himself.

   "It is quite alright, my son." He smiled knowingly.

   At these words, the other three relaxed too. They had all felt bad about it. Mikey smiled, looking comfortable in his position on the couch. His legs were crossed over Donnie and Raph, who was rubbing and flexing a numb arm, just as Leo predicted.

   Their little chit-chat had carried on for a while, and now April looked at the clock and straightened up from leaning on the counter.

   "Ok guys, you should get ready for school," she smiled, and they looked at her. "I always wanted to say that, sounds so . . . normal."

   _Yes, it did,_ Leo thought as he (only half dressed) walked upstairs to dress fully.

()()()()

   All through school, Leo was quieter than he usually was. He watched his brothers bond, laugh, share jokes and stories with their friends. All the time, Leo felt happy for them, and happy himself that his brothers were. Mikey DID seem popular, probably the most out of his brothers. Unknown people came up to him, and within a few minutes he had them laughing or smiling. Donnie was attracting his own crowd as people talked to him. One girl who had had once talked to before, seemed to bond with him immediately after both first classes of the day. Her name was Amba Jasins, and, although Donnie was somewhat shy around some people, he was making conversation as happy as Mikey was. Leo noticed that Raph did not attract fans, but kept to himself, only allowing Prida to hang with him, who seemed to lighten his spirit and make him laugh just as much as Mikey could. Prida, in Leo's mind, was some sort of super-girl for doing this. Never had he seen Raph bond with a girl and a human at that. She made him happy, with was odd to see. Every class Raph had with Prida, they were together. At lunchtime, at break, they would be seen in the company of each other. Leo noticed how Raph seemed to need Prida's good nature and happy attitude to be a normal, happy guy. Just as Prida seem to know she HAD to make him happy. Leo could neither say he was glad about all this, or he was regretting being human. So many good things came with it, also accompanied by bad things that just might tear his brothers up. And the hope of these friends seeing and accepting them in turtle form was very dim. This being one reason Leo was not happy. His brothers would be just as upset as their friends . . . But how many times had he been through all of this in his head? Too many . . . he needed to chill, and perhaps take Mikey's advice and make the most of the friends there was to offer.

   First class of the day was Maths. And in Maths, Leo was with Prida, who, for the first time, had asked to sit with him. She usually sat with another friends, though Leo could tell they didn't talk much and only spoke out of politeness.

   So, throughout this class, Leo either spoke to, or listened to Prida, and there was a long silence when their teacher explained something on the board.

   He didn't know how he got into it, but he was discussing his brothers with Prida, and found out, by the way she talked, that she really did see them all as her best friends. Though she didn't SAY that, Leo could tell. But what really interested Leo, was-

   "How did you come to make such good friends with Raph?" Leo asked scribbling down some notes the teacher had just put on the board and sat back down at the desk. "I mean, he's so surly and doesn't make good friends with _anyone_. The only one to make him laugh more than twice a month is Mikey."

   Prida chuckled softly, looking at what she was writing. Leo glanced at her.

   "I dunno . . ." she said, smiling, her eyes slightly unfocussed. "I guess he just saw in me what others didn't, and me the same . . . along with the rest of you . . ." She looked at Leo, in the eyes. "There just seems to be something important and remarkable about you all . . ."

   Leo hid his sudden nervousness, by looking away. But before he did, he gazed deep into her purple eyes for a split second. Something in them made Leo feel . . . different. Like she could strip away his human form with those eyes and see what he really is like underneath. She was a smart girl, and there had been too many slip-ups in front of her. But, what would she react like if she did know. She was understanding . . . she would understand . . . but Splinter would not approve if they just came out with it to her . . . and face it, she wouldn't believe them anyway . . . or would she? No. Leo was firm, no he would not tell her, no matter how close she was to their hearts. It could cause damage to her and to them. Why did he even ask himself that anyway? He knew their rules about letting humans know about them. No, it was just the way it had to be . . .

   After that class, they both had PE Theory and walked there together, meeting Raph on the way, who was walking Mikey to his class. Raph had just been in to see this picture Mikey was so proud of, and out again. Leo was slightly surprised to see him smiling about it, and to hear him speaking so fondly of his artist of a brother. He never actually realised how happy his brothers seemed in school, no matter how much Mikey and Raph complained about homework.

   Today in PE Theory they were writing down all the muscle names in the upper arms and the legs. Leo kept his head down most of the time and listened to teacher talk. He was sat next to Raph, who was next to Prida, who was next to Roxanne, who smiled to Leo and put her head down. Boys and girls were always mixed in PE Theory. Occasionally Prida would point out a mistake on one of Raph's papers, or note how neat Leo's work was. Leo smiled, and only spoke once in the entire class.

   That class ended half an hour later, much quicker than Leo realised. The time went as quick as it did when he was on the rooftop this morning. Before he knew it, break had ended, what seemed like only a few minutes after he had met his other two brothers, Donnie, who had been in the company of Tyson and Amba, both seemed to have been introduced by Donnie; and Mikey was with TJ, who had been off ill for a few days, and Matt hill, with his brother Owen. They were all crowded around the lockers, which seemed to be their official meeting place now.

   Third class was English, and they had started to read something called –

   "MacBeth?" Mikey picked up the playbook as someone handed them out.

   Donnie rubbed his hands together, smiling. "Oh cool!"

   His brothers, Prida, and some other people turned to look at him, frowning. He shrugged.

   MacBeth turned out to be something a little difficult to followed if not paid enough attention. So of course Raph and Mikey were frowning by the end of the class, talking to themselves about what the hell it all meant.

   Chemistry was next, and before Prida disappeared into her class, they told her jokingly, not to go to the library. She walked din laughing, finding Tyson watching her. She smiled at him, and deliberately turned and sat with her back facing him. She liked him, but she was sure he kept looking at her for a reason. She hadn't really been aware how much half the guys in the year, and a few in different years looked at her. Maybe it was the red hair? Surely people couldn't see her purple eyes at a distance. She shrugged these off, and chatted to Bonnie Sukes, who she had gotten to know a bit more this year. She thought about this . . . ever since the guys had come to this school, she had seemed better off . . . she had made friends with not just them but with quite a few people, who she met, through them. They attracted quite a bit, and she made friends with some. Yet, that is what they would leave her when they left . . . friends in place of friends . . . but she knew no one could replace them . . .

Lunchtime seemed to zoom by, Leo noticed. And even Mikey kept saying how fast everything was going. He kept going on about this dance, disco, thing that was coming up, and was even talking about it while they were all eating in the canteen to TJ. Donnie was taking to Tyson also, about the disco. Leo watched as Prida discussed it with Matt, and he and Raph were the only ones listening and not talking.

   Lunch ended very quickly, and in what seemed like seconds, afternoon registration was over. Leo and his brothers were walking to RE when they saw two policemen up ahead in the corridor. They frowned at each other, and were about to ask what they were doing here when Tyson pulled Donnie to the side to introduce him to this girl. Being the shy type, Donnie looked to Leo for help, but he was too busy trying to keep out of eye of the cops. He had a feeling they were here for a reason, and the reason was them. One of the cops looked familiar.

   Luckily Mikey saw Donnie, and quickly helped him out while Leo and Raph, aware of their brothers behind them, were still walking with their eyes on the cops. They looked sidelong to each other, and whirled around as they heard a shout behind them.

   It was Tooks. He had shouted, "Dad!"

   Leo and Raph frowned at him, but Tooks was smiling. Leo and Raph turned to get to their class, but they found the two cops right in front of them.

   "These?" One of the cops said to the other, who had the familiar appearance.

   "Nah," the other said, looking at the nervous Leo and Raph, who hadn't dared to move. They noticed the corridors were clearing. "The ones I saw were exactly the same . . . and there were four of them . . . These are just twins . . ."

    The two cops moved on, not even saying sorry for the bother. Leo and Raph gulped and stared.

   "Okay, we should . . . just move quickly," Raph said, eyeing the two cops. But he spotted Tooks, who had been distracted, the only reason why he hadn't jumped in when the cops had said they were twins. Tooks would have said they WERE four, but he was glad he didn't. Now, when he saw what the distraction was, he wasn't happy. Raph, with Leo wondering where he was going, stormed up to Tooks, who didn't see him. He was, obviously, harassing Prida. But before Raph got to them, Tooks' friends called him over for their next class, or not by the direction they were going, and Tooks said one last thing to his captive before trotting over to them. Prida was left rubbing her arm where he had grasped it.

   "Hey, you okay?" Leo asked as they got to her.

   She looked up quickly. "Yeah, I'm fine."

   "C'mon, let's get to class quickly," Raph said, searching the crowd of people for the cops, who seemed to have disappeared.

   They made it to next class, and found Mikey and Donnie already in there.

   "What did the police want?" Donnie quickly asked as they sat down in RE. Prida listened but made it look like she was concentrating on the teacher.

   Leo quickly told Mikey and Donnie what he had already guessed from that little experience.

   "They were obviously looking for us," Leo explained. "Because I think they are looking for four identical boys. Tooks called his dad over because he thought that his dad would recognise us . . . but he thought me and Raph were just twins, and Tooks was busy with –" he glanced at Prida, who kept her eyes on her paper now. "- things and didn't say anything. But, I knew that cop was familiar; he was the one we had to knock out to get Splinter out of the sewers . . . remember? And now they're in this school looking for us . . ."

   His brothers all wore the same worried expression.

   "I bet they've already been through other schools," Donnie said. "Just skimming through the kids, and asking if they could look for a few suspects . . . they would have just asked the principle to search for us four without saying we're quadruplets."

   Leo nodded. "This is getting too tricky, staying here . . . we're on the wanted list of too many people, and we've shown too many clues. We have to double our searches at night to find this man if we're gunna change back . . . I just hope he might be able to use his powers to give us our home back . . ."

   Prida frowned ever so slightly. She didn't want them seeing her listening, so she kept her eyes on the board, on which the teacher was writing something. But she shifted her eyes to their faces, and saw  . . . fear, was that? Definitely nervousness . . . What were they afraid of? And what did they mean, change back?

   The last class of the day was Graphics for Leo and Donnie, cooking for Mikey, and Woodwork for Raph and Prida, who kept glancing at Raph's pensive and troubled face.

   They were leaving the RE room, and before they did, they checked the corridors, and Leo said they should walk in pairs, one pair a few paces behind the other in case the cops see them, and they can have time to hide themselves. The reason Leo put them in pairs (with Prida wondering what the hell they were doing) was clear a few seconds later. Leo and Raph walked in front of Donnie and Mikey, and they were just rounding the corner to the tech rooms when the cops walked up behind Donnie and Mikey.

   "S'cuse me sons," one of them said, walking in front of the two bros and blocking their path.

   "Oh, oops, sorry, got you two again didn't we?" The other said, looking at their slightly nervous faces.

   Leo and Raph had pressed their backs against the wall just around from them, trying to listen while hoping that the cops didn't come round and see them.

   The two cops walked back where they came from down the corridor, muttering," keep bumping into those twins, coulda sworn their shirt and bandanna colours were slightly different . . . musta bin the light .  ."

   Donnie and Mikey looked at each other, then dashed around the corner right into Leo and Raph who were doing the same. They ended up on the floor, Prida giggling.

   "Ouch – what did they say?" Leo asked, picking himself up, and helping Mikey who had landed funny.

   "They thought they'd seen us somewhere else," Mikey said.

   Leo smiled. "I hoped it would work. They saw me and Raph, and police are meant to pick up little details quickly, or so they say, and since you and Donnie were together, it looked like me and Raph, purple and blue, red and orange, look the same in some lights . . . So they thought they were seeing me and Raph again . . ." Leo finished smiling proudly.

   Donnie smiled. That was pretty good thinking.

   "Are you guys in trouble with the police?"

   They all turned to face Prida, who didn't quite look as bothered as she should have been if her friends were criminals.

   "Well . . ." Leo said, glancing at his brothers.

   "It's a wrong accusation," Donnie said slowly.

   "We're not really the bad guys," Mikey said just as slow.

   "They think we did something we didn't do," Raph lied, making it a bit easier for her.

   Prida tilted her head slightly, studying their faces. She didn't believe that, but she knew that they hadn't done anything bad . . . maybe just got accused more seriously than they should have. But she didn't like them lying to her . . . but maybe it was because she might not understand, they thought. Prida shrugged.

   "Oh . . . Okay," she said, slowly. She glanced about the empty corridors. "Um, we're late."

   They glanced about too, and, all at once, legged it down the corridor. Mikey's room was closest, and they could hear him saying sorry as he went in. Next Raph and Prida, who both tried to run through the door at the same time and crushed themselves in the doorway. They pulled back, waiting for the other to go first, embarrassed. Leo and Donnie grinned as they heard the teacher calling for them to get in the room, and a few seconds later rounded the corner and bust into their own room, taking their seat and sighing, relieved, as the teacher came into the room from another door a second after they sat down. They smiled at each other.

()()()()

   "Man, it's cold," Mikey said, hugging his arms and watching his breath rise in front of him and disappear into the dark night air.

   "Stop complaining," Raph said. "If it's not pizza you're complaining about it's something else."

   It was late at night, after school, which had finished hours ago. The guys were on their late night patrol, and it wasn't a nice night. The cool air was harsh against their cheeks, and it was damp. They had taken to patrolling an alleyway, one that they had fought many punk kids down.

   "I have to complain about pizza!" Mikey said, as though it was a very important thing to do. "I mean, I can only eat school pizza 'cause you guys wont lemme order out."

   "Will you guys quit arguing," Leo said, frowning a little in irritation. "We're meant to be on patrol, and the whole idea is to keep quiet and see what comes our way, without it being driven off by you two yapping."

   Raph and Mikey looked at each other and shrugged. Donnie just smiled, and readjusted his belt strap. It kept loosening because of his thin waist. Though the only meat there was his muscle.

   They heeded Leo's nagging to be quiet, and sure enough, the absence of the chitchat enticed some welcome fighting. It was the Foot. Only a few members, but enough to let the guys take out their built up energy that had been begging to be let loose.

   "Ah, some Foot butt to kick!" Raph said, sounding very happy. He rested a hand on his Sais, but didn't think he'd need them. "The last time we saw the likes of you, we weren't like this!"

   Leo readied himself, and ran his brother's word through his head. They did not at all sound angry, which surprised Leo. He didn't have time to think anymore, because the four Foot members ran to meet them, and they were all locked in battle a few seconds later.

   A few seconds after the few seconds, the guys realised that these Foot soldiers were not the weak, inexperienced young men that they were used to; but were strong, skilled (almost as they were) fighters, and were putting up a good fight. However surprised the guys were, this was better as it was a good challenge, until Donnie was thrown painfully hard into a dumpster, hitting it on the corner edge.

   "These guys're –" Raph tried to call out, but he was whacked in the face as another Foot member joined the two he had gathered. One of them was Donnie's fighter, and another appeared out of nowhere, now making it five Foot altogether. Raph was mad now. He tasted blood, which meant he had been sliced on the cheek. But because of his rage, he won over two of them, and they fell to the ground, barely conscious. He turned to the last one.

   Leo whirled as he sensed another right behind him. He ducked as the Foot member swung a Katana, slicing the other Leo had been battling, over the chest. That Ninja stumbled back, hand on the wound, as Leo downed the other. Then he turned to face the recovering Ninja, and knocked him out. He then rushed to Donnie's aid, who was having a slightly harder time keeping the enemy at bay because of the pain that shot through his side every time he put weight on his left foot. Leo noticed Mikey and Raph together clearing their two enemies together. 

   Donnie's opponent was soon downed, and had cleared off, along with a few others that were smart enough to disappear. Leo noticed that the Ninja he knocked unconscious was gone as well.

   Mikey and Raph joined Leo and Donnie, who was leaning on Leo for support.

   "You okay?" Mikey asked him. He nodded and winced.

   "Those guys were . . . a lot more skilled," Raph said, breathing heavy. Looks like he had needed his Sais after all.

   "Good job we didn't encounter the whole clan, innit?" Donnie smiled.

   Mikey went to pick up one of his Nunchucks that he had dropped in battle. He shoved it in his belt after adjusting it.

   "Who do you think gives the orders for that lot?" He asked, walking back to his brothers, looking about the alleyway.

   "I don't know," Leo said. "Tatsu? Another Foot member who made himself leader?"

    "Shredder's dead, why are they still fighting?" Mikey asked, frowning. "I mean, the whole reason they were against us was because we are Master Splinter's students . . . and . . ."

    "The Foot are obviously reprisal," Leo said. "Their Master is dead, and they want us, who are responsible, also dead."

   Mikey said nothing, but kept his eyes on his brother.

   "C'mon, let's get Donnie home," Leo said, and they all began to make their way slowly home, where, once they were settled in nicely, they let Donnie take the couch for the night, and Leo, Raph and Mikey retreated upstairs where they collapsed without changing their clothes, not realising how much that battled had taken out of them.

   The last thoughts ran though Leo's head before his body shut down. _It was a good job there were no more of those Foot members. Though me and my brothers are better, and always will be, than the Foot, we've still had forgotten injuries that could threaten our success in battles like that. Mikey's foot, which I noticed was playing up; Raph's leg, which I know he still limps on; Donnie's arm, now I know why he hasn't been lifting or playing with any new contraptions . . . Me . . . ? I only had a hit on the head two weeks ago . . . but there is a wound that might stop me . . . that is, if we don't find that man, and recover our turtle bodies . . ._ With these thoughts, Leo fell asleep.

   Thanks for the reviews, SFAM and mure coming soon! (just for a note: I know I should have put this in way before now, but you pronounce Prida's name Pree-da. Just in case ;) lol, but I bet ur smart enough to know anyway)


	23. Smarties

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Oh yeah, that's good!" Mikey said as he stretched, just waking up from his sleep. He opened his eyes and looked where he was. He wondered why he felt so comfy. "Oh, morning bros."  
  
His two brothers, sleepy as they were, couldn't hide their morning grumpiness and slight annoyance at their brother in orange. The reason why they were like that, and why Mikey was so comfortable was because he was laying ON his brothers, his torso across Raph, his butt slid in the gap between him and Leo, and his legs across Leo, who glanced at Mikey, sighed, and dropped back into his pillow, muttering 'brothers'. If it wasn't Raph and Donnie together crushing him, it was Mikey on top of him.  
  
"Hey you guys are comfy," Mikey smiled sweetly.  
  
"Mikey, gerroff me!" Raph said tiredly, pushing his brother toward Leo. But Mikey, instead, fell in the gap between Raph and Leo, and stayed there, smiling. He went back to sleep.  
  
Both Leo and Raph groaned. The whole point of Mikey being at the end in the night was so that he didn't roll about and crush anyone. It just proves that Mikey can do anything in his sleep no matter where he was laying when the night began. The only reason Mikey was up there was because Donnie needed the softness of the couch for his injured side, which, when they got home, turned out to be a bit more than a bruise. Not just his side, but he had managed to rip part of his arm open again, and was in pain last night. April gave him a couple of strong pills, which knocked him out anyway.  
  
Today, though, Leo awoke with his brothers at eight O'clock, and noticed that, when Mikey was getting changed, he was putting on a red shirt and Raph had picked up Mikey's orange one, frowning at it. Leo snorted.  
  
"Is it me . . . or does this shirt look . . . orange?" Rah said groggily.  
  
Leo said nothing, feeling too tired to answer. He shook his head and left the room, leaving his brothers to sort out their colours.  
  
As Leo walked downstairs, he noticed Splinter wasn't sat in his armchair, but April was, and it looked like she was nursing a headache. She looked up as he came in.  
  
"Hey Leo," she said, a little less energetic than she would have said it.  
  
"Headache?" Leo asked. April nodded.  
  
Leo went into the kitchen to make tea, and left the kettle to boil, coming back to sit on the couch where Donnie was still laying, breathing quite deeply. He was leaning on his uninjured side, with his arm carefully laid straight; the new bandages clearly showing.  
  
"Donnie's gunna be a bit tired in school," April said, smiling at the sleeping teenager.  
  
"Yeah . . . those Foot weren't the inexperienced lot we usually tackle," Leo said, looking at his brother. "I don't think we were ready for them."  
  
Just then Raph and Mikey caused a distraction by trampling down the stairs, in the wrong shirts, which didn't go with their bandannas. They both stood still at the bottom of the stairs, waiting for their balance to settle in, then they made their way to the couch, forgetting Donnie was there and sitting on him, sliding off and onto the floor.  
  
"Ow . . . huh?" Donnie woke up, looking exceedingly tired.  
  
April looked at the two on the floor.  
  
"Um, that's a bit of an odd colour combination there," she said, smiling.  
  
They looked at her, groggily quizzical, then they both shrugged, and took off their shirts to exchange.  
  
"Whoa guys, hope you don't take your shirts off in school like that," April suddenly said as they swapped shirts and frowned at her. "Well, look at you! I don't think normal teenagers have . . . muscles . . . like that."  
  
Too tired to even bother to listen to anyone talk, Mikey and Raph shrugged and put their own shirts back on, now matching their bandannas. There was also a small, red scratch on Raph's cheek that went well with his colour.  
  
April now turned to Donnie, who seemed to be having trouble figuring out what his hands were by the way he was frowning at them.  
  
"Don, what's wrong?" April asked, Leo also looking at his brother, still lying on the couch.  
  
"I feel really . . . weird," Donnie said. He moved to wing his legs off the couch, but he gasped in pain, and toppled off the couch onto Mikey and Raph.  
  
"Ouch . . ." They all moaned.  
  
Leo shook his head, smiling slightly, and helped Donnie up gently. His side was still painful, and the strong painkillers he took yesterday must still have their effect on him.  
  
When Leo had helped Donnie back onto the couch, April moved over and sat the other two up, both looked incapable of doing anything from tiredness, though not nearly as much as poor Donnie.  
  
"School's going to be fun today, Leo joked with a half smile as he kept his hand on Donnie's shoulder.  
  
"My eyesight's a little . . ." Donnie said, frowning. "Fuzzy."  
  
"You'll be alright by the time you get to school," April assured him.  
  
()()()()  
  
"I still feel a little weird," Donnie muttered, blinking hard and pulling his eyebrows up to see better. It didn't work.  
  
The guys were back at school, and they had just had registration. Their first and second class of the day was PE, but April had writing Donnie and Mikey a note, explaining why they couldn't, and shouldn't, be doing PE. Donnie had been limping as bad as Mikey when he first walked on his injured foot. But he refused anything for it.  
  
"It'll wear off," Leo told him. He wasn't sure how strong those painkillers had been.  
  
"You hope," Mikey grinned at him, while Donnie frowned. "Hey, I hope those police aren't still checking kids."  
  
All their faces stopped smiling and frowning, and eyes swept the corridors.  
  
"Nah, I 'pose they've gone to 'nother school," Donnie said. He felt glad, for once, that he had to miss out of an active class.  
  
They were soon changed, well Leo and Raph, and walking out onto the field. Donnie and Mikey had shown their teacher the note, and were excused. Though when they were told what they would be doing in this class, they groaned and said that they didn't have to miss it anyway. They were doing Javelin, shot- puts and discus throwing today. Though Donnie did point out that he wouldn't have been able to anyway because of his arm, which was still throbbing.  
  
"Okay, right, we choose what we get to do first?" Raph asked.  
  
"Yeah, so she says," Leo replied, referring to the teacher.  
  
They walked out to the end of the field where they began to dig things out of the boxes brought up by the teacher. Donnie and Mikey sat to the side, leaning against the black, metal fence that separated the school grounds from the cemetery.  
  
"Ugh, great," Mikey moaned quietly with his head in his hands and his knees to his chest. "We'll just sit here, bored, and not do anything."  
  
"Well we could revise for that Biology test that Mrs Lyne hinted she would do, set for fifth class today," Donnie said.  
  
Mikey's face blanked. "A test?"  
  
"Yeah, today."  
  
"Today?"  
  
"Today!"  
  
"Cripes! Aw man," Mikey moaned. "This school day just gets better. I'm beginning to miss the peaceful tunnels of the sewers!"  
  
Donnie shrugged. "Me too . . . but I really thought you knew we had this test."  
  
"No, I din't!"  
  
Donnie watched his other brothers for a second, then said, "okay then, erm . . . How many chromosomes are there in the body?"  
  
Mikey looked at him, wide eyed. "I dunno!"  
  
"C'mon Mike, guess!"  
  
Mikey sighed. "Erm . . . chromosomes . . . two?"  
  
Donnie's turn to sigh. "Well, chromosomes are in pairs, but there are forty-six chromosomes, so that makes twenty-three pairs."  
  
Mikey groaned again and buried his face in his arms while Donnie continued to talk and explain about genes, inheritance, you name it, he explained it.  
  
A couple of yards away, Leo, who was holding his javelin in one hand and was aiming, looked at his two brothers sitting out. One looked extremely bored and looked to be suffering from an overdose of Donnie's brain talking. He pointed it out to Raph, who stopped aiming and glanced at them. He smiled.  
  
"Wonder what Donnie had to talk about this time?" He smiled, and aimed his javelin, hoping to get past the teacher's mark where she had thrown it.  
  
"I think he's talking about that Biology test," Leo said casually, and jumped as Raph's javelin slipped as he threw it and landed between the person's feet next to them. They stood, staring at it wide eyed while Raph turned to Leo.  
  
"Test?"  
  
Leo grinned. "Yeah, test." He threw his javelin and it landed neatly in the ground, stuck out, way past the teacher's, who clapped and gave him praise. Leo smiled and walked away to do the next task, shot-putting.  
  
Raph stared, then grabbed his javelin (the boy next to him still staring, still frit to death of nearly being skewered on the end of a stick) and threw it hard. It landing, slightly wobbly, next to Leo's, in line. Though not satisfied, Raph huffed and walked off to try and beat Leo at something.  
  
A few minutes later, the guys on the field were joined by the Girls class, containing Prida, who was talking to her friends, Bonnie Sukes and Roxanne Johnson. Amba Jasins was walking along side them, laughing but not talking. Donnie and Mikey looked up, and exchanged waves from Prida, and they noticed, however quickly it was, that Roxanne slipped a small wave and a smile at Leo, who stared, and waved back blankly. Donnie and Mikey snorted.  
  
The Girls class started to do their activities alongside the boys, and soon mingled with them. Donnie and Mikey shifted up as some of the girls who weren't doing PE seated themselves next to them, giggling annoyingly and glancing at them. Donnie and Mikey kept their gaze ahead, trying to ignore the constant chatter.  
  
"Hey guys," Prida said happily as she appeared next to Leo and Raph, who had stood to grin at Donnie and Mikey, who were now edging further away from the girls, who were doing the same, only towards them. Leo and Raph turned back.  
  
"Oh hey Prida," Leo smiled at her. She smiled back.  
  
"What's wrong with Donnie?" She asked, seeing him sat out. She already knew Mikey's foot wouldn't be healed yet.  
  
Leo looked up. "Oh, he, er, he fell down the, er, stairs." Raph frowned at him. "He managed to injure himself badly and rip his arm open." Leo turned away to throw his shot-put. It landed heavily with a thud eleven metres away, almost twelve. Prida gawped at the distance.  
  
Next to them was a very unwelcome, handsome face. Tooks snorted.  
  
"Probably got a slingshot hidden," he muttered, walking off.  
  
"That's gotta be some slingshot!" Prida shouted angrily at him. She turned back muttering 'duh!' and smiled.  
  
Then she noticed something on Raph's face, and stared. He stared back, frowning.  
  
"Raph, how'd you cut your face?" She asked.  
  
Leo looked at his brother, wondering what she was on about, then remembered last night he had got caught by one of the Foot. Raph put a hand to his face and felt the scar.  
  
"Oh," he remembered. He had forgotten about it. "I caught it, er, when Donnie fell down the stairs he scratched me."  
  
Prida was not convinced. But she didn't persist the matter.  
  
PE ended another class later. After having done all the activities the boys did, Prida took down her distances, which were very good, and went to give Donnie her sympathy for falling down the stairs, though she still didn't believe it. The reason she went over to him was to see if he acted as though he didn't know what she was talking about. He didn't, and she knew that had been a lie. Just what where these guys keeping?  
  
After getting changed, everyone met back up at the lockers. Tyson, Matt and Prida were talking about something as the four bros walked down the corridor. Three looking bored about something, one explaining about something and looking quite happy, however tired he still felt.  
  
"Thanks Donnie," Raph said with a little sarcasm as they reached the lockers. "I'll get top scores now, just having listened to you!"  
  
Donnie shrugged. "At least you know now what and how to say deoxyribonucleic acid and how many based pairs -"  
  
"Donnie!" They all shouted. Prida, Matt and Tyson laughed as Donnie just stuck his lip out.  
  
"Please help," Mikey suddenly said to Matt, with his hands together flat as though praying. "Please, you take him home and we'll have your brother!"  
  
Matt laughed and shook his head. "You'd want to change back immediately!"  
  
The break zoomed by quickly, and they were moving on to English. But just as his brothers went in, someone grabbed Raph roughly and whirled him around. He stared into the face of Tooks.  
  
"What the hell-" Raph growled angrily, pulling his arm from Tooks grasp.  
  
"I know where you got those forks things - those Sais!" He hissed. Raph stared. How did he know what they are? Tooks continued, "I'm on to you, I know you got them from that sewer place!"  
  
Raph pretended he didn't know what he was on about. But his heart pounded fast.  
  
"What the hell are you on about?" He growled, shifting his eyes quickly to see if anyone was listening and to see where his brothers were.  
  
"Don't play dumb, I saw the photographs my dad took of that place, I saw those weapons on the wall. Remember? MY dad was the one YOU and you brothers knocked out! He claimed to have seen four identical kids - and guess what? YOU are four identical kids, and you tried to help something escape from the sewers! And I know that it was Mikey's drawing they found! I know he likes that stupid game! That was what the picture was of when they picked it up and brought it into the station! Mikey is short for Michelan-"  
  
Raph was sweating now. He shoved his face right up to Tooks'.  
  
"Listen! I don't know what you're trying to frame us for, but if you try anything I'll -" Raph threatened, but was stopped.  
  
Tooks interrupted. "If you do anything I could easily just tell my dad who you are. He'll see all four of you and know straight away. You'll be behind bars before you can blink!" He now tuned his voice so that it was low and threatening, and leaned, if possible, closer. "You lay off my Prida, I don't wanna see you around her; and you keep a low profile in school, otherwise you'll find you'll probably never see her, if I can arrange that!" He turned and strode away.  
  
Raph was left clenching his fists so hard he had penetrated his palm and made them bleed slightly. He was also biting his lip too hard, and soon tasted it.  
  
"Raph! Get in here please," a voice behind him said.  
  
He turned around and saw the teacher staring at him. Behind her, through the door, the class was waiting too. Raph walked in, still fuming silently.  
  
His brothers watched as he sat down next to Prida on the end of the row. He kept his face away from his brothers, and slid down into the chair. How the hell did Tooks put all that together? Then something occurred to him that made him even more nervous. If Tooks, admittedly quite clever, figured that out . . . what would Prida, a highly clever girl, know?  
  
Leo looked at his brother. There was definitely something wrong. Something had made him agitated, and Leo didn't like it. He would ask him as soon as this class was over, and they were out of earshot of any friends.  
  
As the class begun, and the noise rose, Prida tried to ask Raph what was wrong, while Donnie, on the other end of the row, was busy trying to write, unable to focus properly on his paper.  
  
"Mikey, what's the dude who has the castle?" Donnie asked, frowning. "The one 'oo this is about?"  
  
"Macbeth?"  
  
"That's him, man, I can't believe I forgot!" Donnie started to write again, though slower than usual.  
  
"I don't think you forgot, dude," Mikey said. "I think April gave you to bad pills."  
  
English went rather quickly for some of them, but for Raph, and Prida who was doing nothing but trying to talk to him, it went quite slow.  
  
As they walked out of that room, Leo caught up with his brother in red, steering him away from Prida and co. and was about to ask him what happened outside the room when Donnie cause a SLIGHT distraction by walking into a wall, falling onto Mikey, who fell onto Prida, who caught Leo by accident and pulled him down. The whole corridor was in stitches, and even Raph was smiling. He bent down to help Prida up, shoving Mikey off her.  
  
"Thanks Raph," she said, still chuckling about it. Donnie seemed a little disoriented, but joined along with the laughing. He was helped to his feet by Leo, who was laughing.  
  
There was no way to ask Raph about it now that everyone in their year kept coming up to them asking what had happened. And soon they were in their Physics class, with other friends within earshot. Leo, slightly frustrated about it, sat down and tried to, instead, work out his brother's face.  
  
()()()()  
  
After physics, and after eating lunch in the canteen and walking to the Music Room where they were going to stay for the rest of the lunch hour, Leo finally steered Raph away, shouting over his shoulder to the others that they were going to the toilet, shutting up Raph's protest that he didn't need it.  
  
But Leo only pulled them into the Music corridors, where he stood facing Raph with his arms folded.  
  
"What happened?" Leo asked. He knew something had; after knowing his brothers all his life he knew when something was eating at one of them, or bothering them.  
  
Raph didn't say anything straight away, but then reluctantly told his brother what Tooks had found out and how he was blackmailing him.  
  
After he had told Leo, his brother began pacing, obvious to his face and the way he held his head in one hand, arm resting on the other wrapped around his midsection, that he was as troubled as Raph was; but also angry.  
  
Leo stopped his pacing at turned to Raph, who was looking out the window.  
  
"This is what happens when YOU bring your weapons to school," he said angrily. "If you hadn't, Tooks might not have been able to put info together . . . and if Mikey's hadn't have gone and drew the SAME picture as the one they found, Tooks wouldn't have guess at all . . ."  
  
"Look, I know what we should and shouldn't have done by now!" Raph said. "So lets just find this man quickly, and get him to change us back." He turned and walked off, not back into the Music room. Leo watched him. He knew that Raph had only said that because he wanted Leo to shut it, and wanted to get out of there, but he could hear in his voice the strain he had to use to say those words. Raph didn't REALLY want to find this man, he didn't want to change back; Leo knew that. Raph had grown too used to this life, and had liked it too much. Leo feared it for all his brothers, and mostly for him too.  
  
Leo returned to the Music Room alone. His brother asked where Raph was, and he replied:  
  
"Getting some fresh air, feels sick." It was slightly true. Leo was sick with worry that Tooks might tell his dad about them. So if he was sick, then Raph must be, having been blackmailed. Had Tooks actually said Prida shouldn't be in their company? This guy really needs to be sort out . . . but one touch and they'd have to run to avoid the cops. Leo didn't like Tooks, and had only know his for a week and a few days, but he knew this was a boy who kept his word . . . for something like this anyway.  
  
"Where abouts did he go?" Prida asked. She wanted to talk to Raph, ask him what was going on. She figured if she confronted him, he would tell her some parts, even though she was certain he would miss others out.  
  
"No idea, which Raph, who knows?" Mikey said, shrugging.  
  
Lunch time finished a while after Leo had come back in alone, and they met back with Raph at registration. He had been on his own in the form room, so caught up in thoughts that he didn't see his brothers walk in until Mikey tapped him on the shoulder and he jumped.  
  
Next class was Biology, as Donnie had said in PE. And, as Donnie had said, they DID have a test. It turned out to be easy, but only because Donnie had told them most things they needed to know before. He, of course, received top marks, though he got two wrong because he mixed the around. His excuse was that he was still in a lot of pain and that he couldn't think straight.  
  
With that class over, there was only one more of the day - of the week - and then it would be the weekend. Their last class was PSE. They said goodbye to Prida, and to Matt and Tyson, and left for their room.  
  
Only Mikey and Donnie really spoke in the class. Leo and Raph were too preoccupied with their thoughts to listen or to care. Soon, the other two noticed something was wrong, and demanded to be let in on it. Leo promised they would - he would - tell them after school, and so with the promise of bad news in the air, the class went slowly, as though time was deliberately torturing them. When the bell ended, they shot out the room, and ran a few blocks before they stopped, and Leo told his brothers what Tooks had said to Raph.  
  
"Ut oh dudes," Mikey said after Leo had told them. "This ain't good . . ."  
  
"Well you boosted his chances of finding out," Leo snapped. He ran a hand through his hair, as he did now when he was nervous or too frustrated.  
  
"Let's get home," he said after a while. He began to walk and his brothers followed.  
  
"Should we tell Master Splinter?" Donnie asked.  
  
"No, he'll only worry . . . what we need to do is find that man, and find him quick . . . so we can change and slid back into the invisible reality again . . ."  
  
Leo glanced at Raph after he had said it. His brother was staring at the pavement, a saddened look on his face.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay, please forgive me, the ending was rushed and I'm terribly sorry. A real author never rushes their fics, so I'm sorry! Oh and hey, guess what right . . . I realised a while after I had introduced Matt Hill (Mikey's pal) that someone else was called the same. You never guess who? I thought it was pretty freaky, but I was watching the end of TMNT 3, listening to the groovy music, lol, and I just glanced at the cast list, and the guy who plays Raph is called Matt Hill! I was like, Whoa! I honestly didn't know! Lol! So, anyway, I wanna say that I really do appreciate all the reviews I got, and take them to heart, so thanks to you all, and LenniluvesBrian, Thanks! And definitely to Glitter, who I was shocked at. Me? An award for this bunch of words, I was pretty chuffed lol, thank you all so much! I would name mure, but its late, my back and fingers are killing me, and I'm tired! Now I know what Donnie feels like! Lol, thank you so much, love ya, you're like, my best friends, lol, okay, sorry . . . night all! (oh yar, forgot : SFAM = sorry for any mistakes for people who dunno what that means ;)) 


	24. Weekend

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
(What makes you think Prida hasn't put clues together (sly grin))  
  
  
  
Saturday. Their second weekend since they started school, which seemed quite far back. It seemed they had been at school a lot longer than two weeks.  
  
After they had arrived home last night, the fours bros said nothing at all to anyone, but kept very quiet and to themselves. Splinter had been meditating all day and had not come out, so the guys did not have to avoid his eyes, as they were sure he would have been able to tell something was wrong. April noticed they seemed quiet, and asked what was wrong. They all told the same lie that they felt ill, must have been something floating around school. She didn't ask again, but insisted that they went to bed earlier. No one argued, and they had all retreated upstairs to the room. Donnie said he wanted some company, and that he didn't feel like sleeping on the couch yet, so he followed them. They discussed, very quietly, what they should do about Tooks. Leo suggested that they should just keep away from him, and told Raph not to get too friendly with Prida anymore, as she seemed to be the reason Tooks was so jealous and resentful of them all. Raph had said nothing, but moved over to his own little corner to think. Then Leo had told Donnie and Mikey that they shouldn't get too chatty with her, because if Tooks saw her with them more and more Leo was positive the jealous git would tell his dad or something nasty. Donnie had suggested that if they hung around with, maybe, some other people - shyly naming girls - Prida would get slightly hurt or jealous and leave them to it. No one liked this idea, but Leo said it might do, though he didn't tell them to act it out. Even he seemed guilty about all this talking of getting Prida to dislike them. Raph sat in the corner, face hidden and frowning sometimes when Donnie said things like 'she hopefully wont like us then' or things like that. They admitted it was cruel, but they wouldn't be staying much longer so it didn't matter. Leo had said he felt this man was going to turn up soon, and after that, they had all gone downstairs, sneaking past April to the door, leaving a note saying they needed fresh air and to patrol at the same time. They had found nothing, and encountered nobody. It had been a boring night and most of the time Mikey had been arguing with Leo about how hard it would be to push Prida away, then admitted quietly that he had grown to attached to her and he wouldn't be able to. He knew when they went back to school the following Monday he would be happy and jolly with her again, and he felt the saddest thing was, that Prida would never know where they would disappear to when they leave . . . and if they did fall out with her, she would be heartbroken, and even more so when they leave. His brothers had said nothing, and they had gone home straight after that to bed, where each of them stayed up late into the night thinking about everything. In the end Mikey told himself he couldn't push Prida away, and that he would be friends with her until they left. He didn't care what Tooks or Leo said, he was her friend, and friends don't do things like that. Satisfied, Mikey had fallen asleep, and this morning, had been the only one smiling and happy.  
  
"Hey guys," April said, smiling. But it faded slightly at the sight of three of them. "Whoa, why the long faces? Still feeling bad?"  
  
"No, I'm just hungry," Mikey smiled, glancing at his brothers, who looked at him, amazed he could still be happy after what they were saying last night.  
  
April smiled. "Nothing new." She turned and grabbed her coat while slipping her shoes on. "Guys, I'm gunna be out for a while today, so get what you want to eat, and don't go anywhere because I'm worried about Donnie's side."  
  
"I'll be fine," Donnie said.  
  
"Where are you going?" Mikey asked from the kitchen, pulling out four bowls and reaching towards the cereal cupboard.  
  
"Oh, erm . . . just - just a day out."  
  
Mikey frowned, smiling at her. "With who?"  
  
April busied herself with her coat. "Casey." She looked up at their smiling faces. "He's just taking me out for the day, nothing wrong with that - I expect one of yous has a date or something!"  
  
"Yeah, I'm going out with the most popular girl in the school," Mikey said, grinning to show he was joking.  
  
April quickly opened the door. "Right, I'll see you guys later, 'kay? Bye!" She disappeared, shutting the door quickly.  
  
"Those two are getting really close," Donnie said, smiling. He walked in and helped Mikey with the breakfast. "Next she'll come home with an engagement ring."  
  
Mikey laughed, and pulled out four spoons. He put two on the counter, and flicked the other two to his brothers, who caught them expertly.  
  
They all made themselves comfortable on the couch and armchair, and sat down to watch the news, munching on their food. There wasn't much on.  
  
"This is boring," Mikey moaned. "Let's go see another movie."  
  
"There's nothing on," Leo said, flicking through the newspaper and sighing.  
  
"Well then let's go uptown or something! Anything's better than sitting here doing nothing."  
  
After a few more minutes of moaning, Leo finally agreed to go out and see Men In Black 2 again, only to shut Mikey up. But he told his brother that they didn't have any money so to be enormous amounts of food, so they brought a few things from home, which they stuffed in a different backpack from last week. Some people at the cinema looked at it, because of its bulge (Mikey had stuffed too much in, despite Leo telling him not to).  
  
When they were sat down, Mikey sighed with content and started on his food, even though the movie hadn't started yet.  
  
"I bet this movie'll go real quick," Mikey said. "I bet this weekend will go quick as well, and the week after, 'till Friday."  
  
Leo frowned. "Why will it go quick?"  
  
Mikey grinned. "The disco, remember?"  
  
And indeed the movie did go quickly. It seemed only half an hour later they were walking out of the movie and walking home, all the food eaten, except for Donnie who was still crunching on a small chocolate snack bar. Leo had hardly got any of the food, and Raph hadn't eaten anything.  
  
It seemed Mikey's excitement about the disco speed up time, working for him, just as his wish had. A few hours later it was getting dark, and in no time it was late at night and they left the house to patrol. April hadn't got back, and Splinter had been meditating in his armchair when they had got in. He seemed to be concentrating very hard on something while he meditated, and his sons did not want to bother him to ask what about. Instead they left a note, and walked out the building into the cool air.  
  
They started about thirteen streets away from April's, and had encountered a few punk kids, who only shouted a few nasty words in their direction before disappearing again before Raph, who was going for the, could reach them.  
  
"Man, I need to punch somebody," Raph muttered. Mikey eyed him and moved away. His brother had been unusually quiet today, but it didn't take a brain to know why. Mikey knew Raph was still sore about what they were saying last night, and about Tooks still. Mikey hadn't known a guy like that before. Who could be so jealous about a girl that they blackmailed? Some guys could be idiots, and it just showed how humans treat each other.  
  
The night drew on, and nothing came up. No word about this man, no sighting of his pocket-covered coat. All that happened was the temperature dropped, and soon they were forced to return home, because they didn't have coats. They knew April had let them use a denim jacket she had, but none of them took it because the others wouldn't have had one then. So they went home, back to April's. Before they went in the building, Leo glanced at the long ladder that they always used to climb around one side of the building. He sighed; it had been a long while since they had used it. Taking his eyes away, Leo followed his brothers inside, where they all collapsed on the couch, slightly squished. Splinter had moved from his armchair, and was obviously in his room. From the smell he had made himself a cuppa and had only just retreated. A few minutes after the guys had come in and got comfortable on the couch, April opened her door and came in, holding a hand, which belonged to Casey.  
  
"Yo guys," Casey grinned, nodding to the four, utterly bored brothers all sat together on the couch.  
  
"Have a good time?" Mikey asked, rather drearily.  
  
"Yes," April smiled happily. "Casey's staying for a bit." She let go of his hand and went into the kitchen where she started to make two cups of chocolate, asking the guys if they wanted some. Mikey was the only one who said yes.  
  
"How's this school thing going then?" Casey asked, sitting down in the armchair.  
  
"Boring," Mikey answered dully.  
  
"Man, you guys look bored to tears," Casey said, looking at them. Mikey was leaning on the couch arm, head on one hand, the other on his leg holding the TV remote; Donnie was next to him, leaning on him with his head in his hands; Leo was leaning on his knees, head in both hands; and Raph was leant back into the chair, fist closed and his cheek leaning on it, making his face look funny. They were all staring at the TV. No one said anything to him.  
  
"Their just bore," April said as she came through handing Casey his chocolate and the Mikey his. She went back for hers.  
  
"No butts to kick on patrol," Raph said tiredly. Sounded like he was dropping off the sleep. Donnie already had.  
  
"Aw man, now there's serious news," Casey said as April seated herself on the arm of his chair with her mug cupped in her hands.  
  
The guys were happy to see Casey, as they hadn't seen him in a while, and he sort of reminded them of the old times. But As Donnie had dropped off, with Raph not far behind, and Leo and Mikey bored, they soon went to bed, leaving Donnie on the couch again. Casey said goodbye as they disappeared up the stairs, and it was two hours later before the noise of the TV couldn't be heard upstairs, and the door shutting; Casey had gone home and April was settling down for the night. It was half an hour later when everyone in the apartment was finally asleep.  
  
()()()()  
  
Now it was Sunday. Mikey seemed to be right about the weekend whizzing by. Saturday had disappeared quickly, and when he awoke this morning, he knew this day would too.  
  
The three bros in the room upstairs all woke up pretty much at the same time. Down stairs Donnie had woken up as well, and was joined by his three brothers a few minutes later. Splinter also joined them, greeting them and making his usual morning tea. April was obviously going to sleep in, because they hadn't heard her moving.  
  
"Morning Master Splinter," the guys chorused, and seated themselves on the couch again.  
  
Splinter came out from the kitchen and told his sons that he wanted them to spend this day in a quiet meditation session.  
  
At last! Leo smiled, and joined his brothers, cross-legged on the floor.  
  
They did spend most of their Sunday meditating, and through it Leo was sure his feelings were telling him that this man they were searching for would find them - or they him - in short time. Very short time . . . and at a certain time . . . concentrating harder, Leo was able to understand his feelings enough to know that it would be at least a week . . . after an exciting event that would take place . . .  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay, im shortening this one down. Sorry, I realised my chapter were quite long. Anyway . . . I didn't want too much detail on the weekend... the disco is getting nearer! Lol, thanks for the reviews, thank you sooo much, hehe. SFAM. 


	25. Closer

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
I am soooooooooooooo sorry this hasn't been updated in a long time. I had exams so I couldn't stay on the comp much, and that's why it took me three days to read Felicia Mcfurry's Swat Kats crossover! Sorry about that, heh. Well, won't keep ya, read on!  
  
  
  
Monday morning's sun peeked above the tall buildings, sending its bright, warming rays to heat up the cool night air and to shine into the homes and awaken people. It had that affect of getting people out of bed, and arriving nice and early for their jobs. However, the sun seemed to have failed with one particular home of teenagers, who didn't even roll away from the bright rays of light that shone onto their closed eyelids. Even when the sun had reached a point in the sky where it was unmistakably late in the morning, the four guys did not bother to arouse themselves. It was only until April's voice shouted up from downstairs (for the fifth time, the other times had been muffled with sleep and were not so loud) that Donnie on the couch suddenly jerked from a pleasant dream and snapped his neck round to look at the clock. It was eight twenty-five. They had to be at school in five minutes - and they had only just got up!  
  
"Donnie I've been shouting for five minutes," April said, wearily. "You guys are late."  
  
"I know!" Donnie gasped, and threw himself out of bed on the couch, only to collapse as soon as he supported his weight on his legs. "Ouch! Gotta remember that side still hurts . . ."  
  
"Donnie, you okay?" April helped him stand up, while he massaged his side.  
  
Just then, loud scuttling could be heard from upstairs, and then a bang. Mikey's moan floated downstairs, and Raph saying "Mikey, gerroff me!" Leo could be heard saying "Raph, get off me."  
  
"I can't 'cause Mikey's on me!"  
  
"Shift him out the way, my legs are numbing."  
  
"Have you ever tried to shift Mikey?"  
  
They broke into a morning argument, while Mikey came downstairs giggling. Now the scuffling started again and Leo and Raph were both throwing insults at each other at the same time.  
  
"Mikey, get dressed," April said hurriedly. "You only have five minutes till school starts."  
  
Mikey's grin dropped and he looked at the clock.  
  
"Holy green!" He said, and dashed back upstairs. There was another bang, thud and another "Ow Mikey get - off - me!"  
  
"Sorry Raph - we're la -"  
  
"Raph, you're crushing my arm!"  
  
"Well he's crushing my legs!"  
  
"Guys we're late f -"  
  
"Mikey get off, you're crushing us."  
  
"We're late for school!" Mikey yelled.  
  
April and Donnie, who had stood quite still, listening, heard silence, then a second later it sound like Leo had thrown both Raph and Mikey off him and dashed about trying to get ready while his two brothers were littering the floor. April turned to Donnie.  
  
"I think you should get ready too," she said, smiling. The guys' antics always made her smile.  
  
Donnie nodded, and went upstairs to retrieve his clothes. He still had his bandanna on, which he hadn't realised he slept in, as did Mikey when he came down, so Leo and Raph obviously hadn't taken their off. They fit quite comfortably around their forehead, Donnie thought as he dug under the sheets on the floor for his purple shirt and blue jeans. It was good for when they were in their night clothes (shorts and grey T-shirt) because April would be able to tell who was who, though she could already figure out by their slight differences. Raph's bandanna was mostly covered by his untamed, scruffy hair. But they al had scruffy hair, but it suited them, and it was a nice scruffy, as unusual as that sounds.  
  
A few minutes later, three boys galloped down the stairs, bags slung over two of their shoulders, Raph had no bag but shared with Mikey, who was still upstairs, searching desperately for his game boy.  
  
"Mikey, c'mon!" Leo yelled, glancing at the clock on the wall that said they had two and a half minutes to get to school, for registration. The bell for the start of school had probably already gone.  
  
After giving up searching, Mikey leaped down the stairs, missing the last three; grabbed his bag from Donnie, and they all hurried out the door, April close behind, shouting good byes to Splinter, who had only just emerged from his room to see what the loud noises were about.  
  
"Um, kids," he muttered, smiling to himself, then went about to make his usual cup of tea.  
  
//  
  
"Um, April?" Leo said gingerly, gripping the side of his seat. "Aren't you speeding?"  
  
April, who was at the steering wheel, shook her head.  
  
"No, this is the speed limit round here, and besides, it not that fast."  
  
She broke hard as they sped up to a set of traffic lights, and Leo and Raph's faces hit the front seat head cushions, while Mikey, who was in the middle on the back seat, went straight through the middle and saved himself from a painful experience by stopping his fall with his hands, where he would have landed on the gear stick had he not stopped himself. Donnie, who was in the front, and had smartly put on his safety belt, gripped the seat, pushing his back into the chair, keeping his head straight, but looking at Mikey, who glanced at him.  
  
"Seat belts," April chuckled nervously.  
  
A minute later they arrived at school, unscathed, but not surprisingly car sick. Mikey practically jumped out of the car.  
  
"Hey, I didn't want you guys to be late," April said, smiling.  
  
"I think I'll walk next time," Raph said, holding his head and walking in a very wobbly line.  
  
They rushed into school, and into their form rooms, where, even with April's fast and furious driving, they received late marks. The tutor group was now used to the quadruplets and most didn't look up. Some girls, which they had now believed to be their fan club (or just fans of cute guys in the school) giggled and stared.  
  
"Hate school, hate school, hate school," Raph chanted as they sat down, after having to listen to the teacher talk.  
  
"Hey, now you're sounding more like your normal teenager," Mikey pointed out with a grin.  
  
Raph stopped chanting at stared at him slowly.  
  
The bell signalled for first class a minute later, and everyone moved out the room. The guys made their way to their first and, to Raph and Mikey, most hated class: Maths.  
  
"Ut oh, Maths with . . ." Leo said to Donnie, glancing at Raph, who was disappearing into his and Mikey's room. " . . . Prida."  
  
Mikey poked his head out the room as the passed.  
  
"Actually dude, she said Friday lunch she would be at the dentist for first class," he said, smiling. His dimples stood out, and he looked positively cute. He was pulled back in the room by Mr Reily and the door slammed after him. The teacher's shouts could be heard.  
  
"I don't know what to say about this whole break-up-with- Prida thing," Donnie said, cutting Leo off as he took a breath to speak. "I know one thing; I don't like it . . ." Donnie walked into his room, leaving Leo to stare after him, then walk into his own Maths room.  
  
It seemed timed sped up for the sole purpose of Prida returning to school, and Maths class was soon over; well, to Leo and Donnie it sped by. To Raph and Mikey, who suffered torture every time they had a Maths class, it was slow.  
  
The bell rang for Biology to start, and the guys trudged (in two cases) and walked (for the other two) lightly out of their rooms, making their way together for their next class. Half way there, someone who made them wince with guilt called their names, and they turned around slowly to see Prida smiling, walking towards them. She was wearing blue pedal pushers and a baggy, Navy T-shirt. Her long, red hair was tied back in two loose, pigtails.  
  
"Hi guys," she said, sounding tired. "Man, dentists are nightmares." She looked up at them, and her smiled faded. She could tell by their faces that something was up.  
  
Mikey, forgetting everything his brother discussed and saving them from her question (which was bound to pop up any second), grinned merrily to her and said, "Yo Pri, how's it goin'?"  
  
Prida gave the smallest frown at the others before smiling back at Mikey.  
  
"Great Mikey, thanks."  
  
Encouraged, and greatly thankful of what Mikey did, Raph gave Prida a rare, genuine smile and greeted her.  
  
Leo and Donnie glanced at each other, remembering what they said Saturday. Raph and Mikey had not joined in, and after a split second of coming to the same decision at once, they both decided that since their two other brothers are going to forget it, there was no point in them keeping it up. They both smiled sweetly.  
  
Still giving them a questioning glance, Prida seemed satisfied and her smiled widened. They looked so cute when they smiled.  
  
"Bio next," Mikey said, starting to walk, the others automatically following. "How'd the dentist go?"  
  
"Scary," Prida admitted with a sheepish smile. "They have all this weird equipment that they lay out when you go in, I think they do it deliberately, 'cause they don't use them."  
  
They all chuckled as they entered their Biology room, and it seemed that these five smiles spread rapidly as everyone else seemed to be smiling when they entered. The teacher smiled at their teenage happiness.  
  
The class settled down a minute later as everyone took their seats, and the teacher called for silence. Donnie was sat with Leo as they always do, and Prida was sat in-between Raph and Mikey, as Mikey wanted to sit with Matt.  
  
The teacher spoke: "Right, as you know, your exams will be starting next week, and I think this class would be best as a revision session . . ."  
  
Her voice continued, but all four brothers turned to frown in startled horror at each other. Exams?  
  
A few minutes after the teacher explained and suggested things that might be in the exams, she handed out text books, wrote down the page and question numbers for them to do, and left them to it while she sat down at started some of her own paperwork at her desk.  
  
"Oh God, exams," Prida moaned, dropping her head on her hand. "I am NOT looking forward to these."  
  
The guys glanced nervously at each other. Donnie shrugged, and got down to some work. His brothers stared at him, knowing why he wasn't as worried as they were. Donnie was born a brain and would most likely pass this exam. They all just hoped that they would have changed back before that week . . . at least, some part of them wanted to change back.  
  
The class ended half an hour later, after Donnie had managed to write four pages and still had time to explain to a confused Mikey the difference to Mitosis and Meiosis.  
  
"Whoa, I've never seen someone as smart as you," Prida said quietly in awe as they walked out.  
  
Donnie blushed and shrugged, muttering that it's easy if you know how you absorb information and use it. His brothers shot a look at Prida, as in saying 'we're used to this'. Prida smiled.  
  
Since it was break, the guys headed to their lockers, the usual meeting place, where they hung out or met Mikey or Donnie's friends. Sure enough, a few seconds after they had stopped and lent against the metal lockers, Tyson Zera and Amba Jasins, chatting together, walked up to them from down the corridor.  
  
"Hey Donnie," Tyson greeted. He held his hand up for a high- five and Donnie slapped it, grinning. Leo rolled his eyes. That's just what Donnie's needs; a boost of happiness from his friend, and he won't want to leave.  
  
Someone who they hadn't seen in a while popped up suddenly, smiling.  
  
"Hey TJ," Mikey said, sounding surprised. "Where ya bin?"  
  
"I had my tonsils out," TJ said, sounding a little hoarse. "My throat's still sore, but I'm fine now."  
  
"Yowch," Mikey winced. "Never had my tonsils out, so please don't share detail."  
  
TJ laughed, but as he did, he was making motions with his hands that his throat was hurting, but he continued to laugh.  
  
Meanwhile Donnie was in deep conversation with Amba. She was a pretty blond haired girl, with blue eyes. They were talking about this contest that had happened a few months before Donnie and his brothers started Vinilla High. It raised a few laughs.  
  
Leo glanced to his other side, surprised to see Raph, leaning against his locker, talking animatedly to Prida, who was laughing at something he said. Leo smiled, amazed. He had never seen his brother talk like that to someone, not even to Mikey . . . well, maybe once with Mikey, as he demanded a smile.  
  
In no time the bell to end break rang, echoing through the corridors, and already the people were thinning out. The guys and their friends dispersed to their next class, Chemistry.  
  
It wasn't a fun class. Mr Hodcroft gave them, like in Biology, a list of questions to do from a Chemistry textbook, and they weren't easy. Of course Donnie was the only one who actually got more than two pages done. This seemed to make the teacher angry. His face showed it, but unlike Mr Reily, he did not punish Donnie or his brothers for doing too much good work.  
  
"Man, I think Chemistry is my second worst class," Mikey moaned as he ran his hand in his sandy hair, making it stand on end.  
  
"What's your worst?" Leo asked, then immediately knew what.  
  
"Maths," Mikey said with a groan. Raph, next to him, nodded once.  
  
After the long, hard questions, all of the class looked up, relieved, when the bell went. Everyone gathered their stuff and left rather quickly.  
  
"Wass next?" Mikey asked, massaging his temple.  
  
"P.E Theory," Prida muttered, referring to her own class.  
  
"Well, I have Geography," Donnie said, smiling happily. It was apparent that he enjoyed the class. He glanced behind him and saw Amba Jasins walking on her own, head down.  
  
His brothers turned to look. Then Donnie turned back to them and said, "See ya at lunch," and he jogged up to Amba, who looked up and smiled. They walked into their geography together, talking about something that seemed to spark Donnie's interest.  
  
"Well, looks like he's making friends rather well," Raph said, smiling, with a glance at Leo, who was scowling softly. As happy as he was for his brother to be fitting in (Donnie was usually too shy), he was wincing inside. His brother would get way too attached, just as Raph already had to Prida, and as Mikey had with Matt and TJ. Leo didn't want any more pain for his brothers. Unfortunately they didn't see it how Leo did. He could see the pain it would cause, added on to the pain right now. He didn't want that for his brothers.  
  
Mikey disappeared into his Art class as they passed it, saying he'll meet them at lunch, where Prida suggested, the canteen.  
  
The three left, Leo Raph and Prida, continued on to the Sports Hall for their P.E class.  
  
()()()()  
  
"Lunch! Man, am I hungry!" Mikey exclaimed as he bounced out of his art class, which hadn't been as fun as it usually was. He wasn't talking to no one but himself, and a few people stared at him, and smiled as he grinned to himself and set off for the canteen. He had that effect on people. He smiles, the whole school smiles. He grinned to himself. The school loves me, he joked to himself in his head. He saw the building that he smiled at, and headed towards it.  
  
//  
  
At the same time Leo, Raph and Prida were walking down from the Sports Hall, having had a writing period, they didn't have to waste five minutes of their dinnertime getting changed. Just as they rounded the first corridor corner, they bumped into Donnie, who announced his starvation, and they set off for the canteen, catching a glimpse of an orange shirt before it disappeared inside. They hurried to catch up, not wanting to have Mikey lose control and eat all the pizza, for his sake as well as theirs.  
  
Just as they got to the door, Tyson appeared through the crowd, not noticing them at first. Until Donnie tapped him on the shoulder and loomed in his face did he nearly have a heart attack.  
  
"God, you scared me!" He said, clutching his chest, and grinning. Donnie grinned and shrugged.  
  
As that had happened, Roxanne had appeared behind Prida, asking if she could join them.  
  
Leo leaned over to Raph as they joined the stream of kids going in the canteen.  
  
"In just three weeks, we sure have made a crowd," he said quietly to his brother, smiling. Raph nodded, smiling at the group.  
  
Prida heard that and smiled. Yes, it was true, they had made quite a good bunch of friends. But Prida noticed that these were the true friends, not ones that hang around for popularity. True friends . . .  
  
Suddenly someone grabbed her arm tightly and yanked her out of the line of kids entering the canteen. She was dragged backwards, and watched as Leo and Raph walked in the building without realising she was being carried away.  
  
"Ow - what the - Tooks?" Prida was spun around, and now faced the handsome but unwelcome face that was smirking at her.  
  
"Hey babe," he said casually, his eyes glinting as they looked her up and down, scanning her as they always did, and making her shudder.  
  
She wrenched her arm out of his grasp; her face now set angry.  
  
"What do you want?" She demanded.  
  
"Oh, I just wanna know that my baby's okay with her dangerous friends," Tooks said.  
  
"What are you talking about -?" Prida asked, but he grabbed her hand and pressed something into it. It was a folded up piece of paper. She looked down at it, then looked back up at his face, his eyes burning into hers. He did not let go of her hand.  
  
"I think there's something you should know about your friends," he replied, his voice a little low. "You see, they're not normal teenagers . . . they're crooks - criminals . . . I know, and I know that you're a smart girl and you'll know - you'll see that I'm the one to hang with, not those. You've seen what that Raph keeps in his locker . . . those weapons could kill, especially if they were in the hand that uses them expertly . . ." Tooks looked at the floor and muttered the next part to himself, "though I'm not sure he's skilled enough to use 'em . . ." He looked back at her. "He stole them, and he willingly kicked my dads head in - you saw it on the news, din't ya? Four identical boys - my dad saw them right before they knocked him out . . ."  
  
Prida stared into his eyes, and she knew that last part was true, somehow she knew that it had been Raph and his brothers that had knocked Tooks' dad out . . . but why? Raph was not the sort to just do that . . . was he? His brothers said he WAS the aggressive one . . . No! He wouldn't do that, there had to be a reason.  
  
"I'm telling you all what I know about them," Tooks went on, taking advantage of her silence. "That's the big thing about them, they're criminals - they're THE criminals my dad and the whole police force have been looking for . . . I know . . ." He slowly let go of her hand and backed away, slowly. "I'm worried for you Prida," he said, with what looked like a concerned frown. "I love you, and I'm worried . . ." He turned and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Prida shocked.  
  
She stood there; staring at the place Tooks had vanished. She was mostly shocked because Tooks knew all this . . . and so did she. But she had dismissed it until now, not believing it. But if two had already figured that her friends were the criminals, then it couldn't just be her wild imagination. Tooks knew they were the criminals, and he had the power to put her friends behind bars if he told his dad. Why hadn't he already? Tooks was smart, Prida gave him that credit, but he was evil, and something popped into her head. Something Tooks would do, he loved Prida, and he was jealous about her hanging around with the guys. He would do something to get rid of them, or throw them out of the picture. Prida couldn't belie he had figured this all out . . .  
  
And yet, Prida had the feeling that there was something else to her friends. Something Tooks didn't know about, but she did . . . it was ludicrous, but it fit. She had a feeling they were . . . no, she wasn't ready to put those difficult clues together. She needed time to think about it. In the meantime, she could confront Raph and his brothers, for now she knew why they had been shifty around her, and why they hesitated to say a simple 'hi' this morning when she met them. She could tell something was wrong - and now she remembered that day last week when Raph came in late for English, and she had seen Tooks walking away outside the door. She knew, it just clicked: Tooks had obviously been too jealous and had probably threatened Raph he would spill the beans on him - if he stayed away from Prida . . .  
  
Realising she had that folded up paper in her hand, Prida jerked herself from her thoughts and slowly unfolded the paper. Inside it was a folded up photo. Her mouth opened as she looked at it. It was a picture of that sewer den that the police thought these criminals had been using; the sewer her friends had seemed to worried about that first day they had come here and they had stole out of school to look at one of the TVs in the shop window. But what the main object of this photo was what was on the wall: a rack, and on this rack were weapons; long, sharp swords; long, thick sticks; two twin, thick sticks held together by a chain - and two twin three- pronged weapons . . . exactly like Raph's. Prida realised this was one of the photos Tooks' dad must have taken for evidence.  
  
But Prida didn't believe that Raph and his brothers were criminals. Even though she had only know them just over two weeks, she just KNEW they weren't what Tooks though they were.  
  
Prida held up the photo with the other hand, and underneath another lay It fell to the floor and Prida picked it up and looked at it. It was a picture of a drawing someone had done. But the picture was familiar . . . it was a cartoon character, and she had seen it somewhere. Then it hit her . . . this character was Rayman . . . the game Mikey was playing in R.E one class . . . Prida glanced at the bottom of the photo. At the bottom of the drawing was a name . . . Michelangelo . . .  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
To be continued.. (spooky music). lol, hope you enjoyed. The rest of the day will be continued, and I have a feeling I have left something out so this chapter maybe replaced, and if it is, vital information will be added... just warning you, lol. Again I am soooooooo sorry for the lateness! (looks at watch, hey, its late here!). Thanks for the reviews... (looks around) Do I even have readers? Okay, can you read this? This here, right here can you read it? Ask yourself. 'can I read this?'... (wipes brow) Thank God I still have readers! Lol, okay, mure coming. the reason this is so late os coz of exams.lol... phew, okay, night all, luv ya ;) 


	26. More bad things

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
A.N Hey, I just wanna thank everyone, and to Danceingfae who commented on a pic in my side7 account, I'm thankful ;), heh.  
  
  
  
Prida stared at the picture. Why was Tooks showing her these? Because he was worried for her? Didn't sound like the Tooks she had grown use to. But he WOULD do anything to get what he wanted, and he wanted Prida.  
  
Realising that the photos had been folded into something, Prida separated the note from the photos, opened it out and began to read.  
  
//  
  
Raph frowned, and turned around. Where's Prida? She was behind him at the door to the canteen. He looked up to where Leo and Donnie were stood in the queue for food. Prida wasn't with them. Raph turned in his seat, next to Mikey and Tyson, and looked out of the door as it opened and someone entered. Through it he could see Prida standing just outside the entrance, back to the door. She appeared to be reading something. Raph shrugged and turned back to the table as Donnie arrived with a tray of food, most of which was for Mikey. Leo sat another tray on the table a second after him, a smaller amount of food on his, which were for the other three.  
  
//  
  
Prida folded up the note and the photos and stuffed them in her pocket. Realising the guys must have noticed she was missing, Prida quickly turned and entered the canteen. Her stomach growled as she inhaled the delicious smells of pizza and other canteen food. She noticed her friends on the largest table and jogged over to them, jostling people as she walked past tables.  
  
Leo looked up as she came over wearing an expression he couldn't read.  
  
"Hey, wondered where you were," Leo said as Prida took a seat next to Mikey and Donnie.  
  
"Oh, sorry, someone wanted to tell me something about - er - homework," Prida said, smiling. But her face still remained pensive.  
  
Leo pointed to a slice of pizza on the tray. "Got ya some grub," he said, trying to read her expression without making it look like he was staring at her too hard.  
  
"Oh thanks! I'm starving," Prida said. She smiled, and it masked her expression, leaving Leo to wonder what kind of homework she had . . . if any.  
  
"Yeah, Mikey was gunna eat it if you didn't get here sooner," Donnie smiled.  
  
Prida glanced at Mikey, and the photo of the Rayman character popped into her head, with the name 'Michelangelo' signed at the bottom . . . Mikey . . . Michelangelo . . .  
  
A few minutes later everyone was in discussion. A few more people added to their group, and soon Bonnie, Donnie and Tyson were arguing playfully about something on TV; Leo was taking to Roxanne about the gym, Mikey was discussing his favourite food mixes with Matt, who was practically drooling, and Prida was sitting very quietly, thoughts evident on her mind. Raph was listening to Mikey talk about all the different toppings on pizza he had tried himself, and the ones he would never try again in fear of seeing his stomach again.  
  
Since everyone but herself and Raph were talking, Prida leaned slightly closer, intent on talking to him about this whole weapons and sewers thing. Though before she opened her mouth, a voice in her head argued with her. Just what was she going to say to him? Oh, er, Raph, don't mind me asking but are you a criminal? Because I've been putting a lot of clues together, and Tooks knows too. Prida slapped herself mentally. But while she had been thinking of what to say, Raph had noticed she had leaned forward and turned around, waiting for her to say something.  
  
Knowing she would look stupid if she just stared, Prida opened her mouth, still wondering what she should start with.  
  
"Raph," she said slowly, staring at the table, then at his face. " . . . er . . ."  
  
Raph frowned. "What?"  
  
"Er . . . I was wondering . . . " Prida tried again. It was no use, she couldn't just ask him, in a canteen. It just wasn't the detective way.  
  
Raph waited, why did she look so uncomfortable?  
  
Finally Prida shook away her urge to ask him, and instead pointed to his bottle of Fanta Fruit Twist, which was sat on the table.  
  
"Can I have a bit of your drink?"  
  
As soon as she said it she felt foolish. She was stuttering for those long seconds and at the end she came out with that? Well, that was all she could come up with.  
  
Raph stared at her, frowned slightly and handed her the drink. She took it, avoiding his eyes. She knew he knew that she was going to ask something else, but hadn't worked up the nerve. He would be suspicious now.  
  
Prida took a sip of his drink. She wasn't thirsty before she asked him, but now she was and swallowed more. She handed it back to him, saying thanks. He gave her a look.  
  
()()()()  
  
After they had eaten, Prida said she was going to the music room to see Mrs Smullwud. Leo, Roxanne, Raph, Mikey and Matt decided to come as well, while Donnie, Bonnie and Tyson said they were going to the ICT Room.  
  
"Prida!" Mrs Smullwud said as they entered the Music Room.  
  
"Hi Miss," Prida smiled back. She and the others settled themselves down on the tables against the walls. Mrs Smullwud allowed them to play some music, while she went about writing down notes on the blackboard.  
  
"Hey, it's been a whole week since I was a few seconds away from my death," Prida said, smiling. Roxanne laughed at her for just bringing it up, while the others smiled.  
  
"Yeah, and it's four days till the disco!" Mikey said excitedly. "D' ya have to go with someone if you go? A girl?"  
  
"No Mikey, I'm gunna take ya," Raph joked.  
  
"Well, it's traditional," Matt said, sighing. "Unfortunately I haven't been able to follow that tradition." He grinned.  
  
Mikey's grinned dropped slightly as well as his shoulders. "Oh, I don't have any girl . . . friends."  
  
"Oy! I hope you were excluding me when you said that," Prida grinned.  
  
Mikey grinned. "Yeah, okay then, Prida will you go with me to the disco?"  
  
Prida went red slightly. "Mikey, I don't go to those discos, all the girls have to wear skirts or dresses"  
  
"Oh, c'mon! Please?" Mikey said.  
  
"Nope! There is no way you are getting me in a dress!"  
  
Roxanne laughed. "Well I only went last year because my brother went with his girlfriend. That was the first year in ages I walked into a disco in a dress."  
  
Mikey turned back to Prida, grinning. "I'm not gunna stop asking you until you say yes."  
  
"Well then you better get ready for eternity then," Prida stuck her tongue out at him.  
  
Then Mikey looked at her, frowning while still grinning. She frowned back, wondering what he was looking at.  
  
"I know why you're refusing," he said, nodding.  
  
"Why?" Everyone was waiting for him to explain.  
  
"'Cause you're going with Raph, bet he's already asked you!"  
  
Instantly Raph went red, and growled at his brother. Prida went red but she grinned.  
  
"No, Mikey. I'm not going!" Prida turned to Roxanne to give her the attention. "Who are you going with this year?"  
  
"Oh, er," Roxanne said, looking at her feet, shyly. "I dunno yet." She glanced at Leo then back at Prida, who shrugged and smiled.  
  
Dinner finished fifteen minutes later, and Prida, Roxanne and Matt disappeared to their own form rooms while Leo and Raph and Mikey went to theirs. They met Donnie who was grinning happily about something and shaking his head to his own thoughts outside the form room.  
  
"What's wrong with you?" Leo asks, smiling as they went into their room to get registered.  
  
"Oh, nothing," Donnie said, blushing very slightly for some reason and grinning.  
  
"Nothing? C'mon Don, we ain't that stupid," Mikey said.  
  
Donnie grinned. "Oh, well - er - I might be going with . . . someone to this disco."  
  
"Ooo, studley!" Mikey grinned as Donnie went red again. "Who? Who?"  
  
"Well, I don't know - Tyson set it up - he said he would ask Amba Jasins, but I kinda panicked and nearly ran - then he embarrassed me even MORE by asking Bonnie Sukes for me!" Donnie grinned. "She said she would if Amba said no . . . then I legged it outta there."  
  
His brothers were grinning at him, and he blushed and looked away, still grinning.  
  
"Hey I don't get it," Mikey said, smiling as they came out of their form room for next classes. "How come Donnie, all shy and quiet, gets two girls already on the list - I ask Prida and she says no! I mean, I'm the dude who rules!"  
  
Leo, Donnie and Raph groaned as their overlarge-ego brother grinned.  
  
"I'm gunna have to ask more girls," he said, shaking his head.  
  
"You had one girl come up to you last week asking what your name was," Donnie pointed out. "I bet if you asked anyone they'd say yes. I have noticed that most of the girls seem to stare at you."  
  
"Well then they're staring at US," Mikey said. "We all look the same . . . to most people."  
  
At the junction in the corridor, they all split up. Leo and Donnie had double Graphics, Mikey had double cooking and Raph had double Woodwork.  
  
In his Cooking class, Mikey noticed that Tooks kept staring at him a lot. It was a stare that he didn't like, and he got the impression that Tooks knew something, or had done something to do with them. Mikey shook it off and continued his conversation with TJ, who Mikey was surprised and proud of: TJ seemed to have built up so much more confidence and courage now. He was no longer the really shy small boy, always at the back of the class and so quiet he could compete against a mouse. He laughed more freely and openly than he used to, and his whole body posture had changed; but he was still the same boy. The big give-away was definitely when Tooks had come up to him as they were walking into this class and insulted Mikey. TJ had told Tooks to shove it without even a waver in his voice.  
  
"So, are you going to this disco?" TJ's voice made it through Mikey's thoughts.  
  
"Uh, yeah, I am," Mikey responded.  
  
"Cool, are you going with anyone?"  
  
"Not yet," Mikey flashed a grin. TJ laughed. "Are you?"  
  
TJ stopped laughing and his shoulders drooped a bit. "No, didn't go last year, or the year before, so there was no point in asking . . . and I don't know that many people who I could ask . . ."  
  
"Hey, you'll find someone," Mikey smiled. "Good looking guy like you, no worries!" He put on an Australian accent when he said this. TJ laughed again.  
  
"Well, if I don't have anyone to go with, at least you'll be there to cheer me up."  
  
"Yeah, I'll save a dance for you." Mikey grinned, then decided he hadn't done anything all period and started to write from the textbook.  
  
()()()()  
  
At the end of school, Leo and Donnie waited for their brothers at the usual place: the lockers. A few minutes after they had arrived, Raph and Mikey came down the corridor, talking to Prida.  
  
"Hey, ready to go home?" Leo asked, as Raph whipped something from his locker into Mikey's bag.  
  
"Prida wants to say something," Mikey grinned. All eyes turned to her.  
  
Prida looked slightly embarrassed. "Well, my sister - since this is her first day she managed to get off early from work - wondered if you wanted to come on over, so she could properly thank you, you know, for saving me - she's always like this, she has to thank everyone for everything - well, not that you shouldn't be thanked, but she always does special things so she said you could stop over for dinner she would make - and -"  
  
"Prida, we'd love to come over," Leo smiled. He looked at his brothers, who all had the same face on and were all wondering should they leave Splinter at home. But maybe April might come home early.  
  
Prida sighed, glad she had got that bit over. She had babbled, as she mostly does when she's asking something embarrassing. She smiled back.  
  
"You don't have to come, you know," she went on.  
  
"Hey, we want to," Raph smiled at her. This seemed to ease her nervousness and she smiled back, relaxed now.  
  
"I'm afraid we have to walk," Prida said as they were walking out of school. Most kids had cleared off, so there were only the odd few around. "Mai won't be in straight away when we get back, she's pretty busy, but she was let off early from work."  
  
They started to walk the opposite way from what they take to April's. Only Donnie and Raph had been to her house, and only Raph had been inside, so Leo and Mikey were glancing at the unfamiliar surroundings as they passed. It was amazingly dark for this time of the day, but there was a massive, and what looked like, a storm cloud above them. Little droplet of rains started to fall.  
  
"We seem to be having a lot of rain lately," Donnie said, looking up at the dark sky.  
  
"You have to walk along here on your own?" Leo asked Prida, as he stared at some old buildings, and some dark alleyways. This neighbour hood didn't look too friendly.  
  
"Well, I could go around, but this is a shortcut," Prida said.  
  
They were walking on the path, and there was a line of bushes separating them from whatever was on the other side. They were coming up to a wide and dark alleyway. Leo didn't have a good feeling about this.  
  
"And it's not usually this dark," Prida said softly, looking at the sky as Donnie had. "I think I would have taken the longer path if -" But they didn't get to know what that 'if' was, because Prida was jerked from the path into the alleyway they had reached, by some very ugly, filthy dude with a knife to Prida's throat.  
  
"Oh, I though she was all alone . . ." He drawled softly and eerily, rubbing his dirty cheek on Prida's hair. She was wide-eyed and was clutching the man's arm that held the knife to her throat.  
  
The guys froze and stared. Leo stepped forward cautiously.  
  
"Let her go," he said, dangerously.  
  
"Why?" The punk asked, his voice was eerily soft, but menacing at the same time. He had green, spiky hair that stuck up on the top of his head and had piercing everywhere on his face. "I like 'er . . ."  
  
"Let her go you sick weirdo!" Raph started to get angry, and aggressive, not to mention protective. Mikey nodded stiffly, behind him, hands bunched in anger.  
  
"Oo, whatcha gunna do about it?" The punk asked, grinning evilly. Suddenly he jerked Prida sharply and she let out a quick gasp as the blade pressed painfully against her neck.  
  
From behind the punk and Prida, others emerged slowly from the shadows, and joined their fellow freak, grinning manically. Prida's eyes were alight with fear.  
  
"Knock 'em down, boys," the punk said, and the others rushed forward to start beating. But out of all seven of them, four were down within a few seconds, and the other three were not giving up. They were either incredibly stupid, or incredible mental to continue to attack when the odds were clear.  
  
One of them had a baseball bat, and swung it at Donnie, who ducked and swung his legs round and into the guy, who fell hard with a groan. But he made attempts to stand back up. While he was trying, more of these weirdos had joined in, baseball bats swinging, and the four bros ducking.  
  
One idiot swung a bat at Mikey, who blocked it expertly and twisted it out of the other's hands. He raised it threateningly to the guy, who chickened out and ran away. Mikey muttered a 'pathetic loser', before helping Leo, who appeared to have gathered the biggest bunch. He performed a handstand in front of one guy, kicking his with his feet.  
  
From being trapped by the punk's arms and the knife, Prida watched as her friend despatched the whole bunch of punk kids, using an amazing form of fighting. They were so good at it. But it definitely angered the punk who was holding her, as he tightened his grip on the blade and pushed it further to her throat. Prida cried out in pain, but he jerked her and she was cut off, gasping for air.  
  
While he had been busy jerking Prida, Mikey had managed to sneak around the punk, while Raph walked towards him from the front. Leo and Donnie finished the rest of the punk kids and followed behind Raph.  
  
The punk who was holding Prida backed away, slowly towards Mikey, who, quick as a flash, seized the knife arm and pulled it from Prida's throat. Raph dashed forward and pulled her clear, while the punk tried to swipe at Mikey, who ducked and knocked the dude out. He was left holding the knife, which he aimed and threw into the bushes as far as he could.  
  
"Prida you okay?" Leo asked, rushing forward to where she was clutching Raph, who was still gripping her arms from when he had pulled her to safety.  
  
"Oh God, was that frightening," she breathed rapidly. Her eyes were still large, and she was purely shocked. "Thank you . . ." She threw her arms around Raph, and Mikey put his hand gently on her back. She turned and hugged him as well.  
  
"Let's get you home," Leo said, glancing to the dark shadows of the alleyway behind them.  
  
Prida was lead by Mikey, who was clasping her hands in- between his, and Leo, while Donnie and Raph walked behind, checking the alleyway again.  
  
"Are you sure you're okay?" Mikey repeated Leo, looking worriedly at Prida. To them an attack like that was nothing; but to her it was.  
  
Prida nodded shakily. "Y-yeah, I'm okay, just a little shocked. That hasn't happened to me before," she chuckled nervous like. "I hate to think what would have happened if you guys hadn't have been there, thank you. That's twice you've saved my skin."  
  
As they walked back, Mikey holding Prida's hands all the way, she thought about that attack. They didn't seem bothered about themselves, as normal people would. Instead they focused on her and asked if she was alright, forgetting themselves. It seemed like they were almost used to all that. And they had fought so . . . expertly . . . like they were Master warriors or something. Prida didn't know what style it was, but she knew it was definitely Martial Arts. The way they had fought, though . . . it just replayed over in her mind. How Donnie had ducked under that bat, as if seeing the future - anticipating the attack. The same with Mikey, when he blocked that bat.  
  
When they reached her house, she was no longer shaking, but her heartbeat was just a little faster than normal. She opened the gate for her friends and they walked through. Grabbing her keys from her bag, Prida unlocked the door and allowed the guys in first. Then she shut it behind her, and kicked her shoes off.  
  
The guys stood awkwardly in the big hallway. She smiled.  
  
"Hey, you can go in and sit down if you want," she said, motioning to the massive room to the left of the hallway. There were three couches, two single chairs and a coffee table.  
  
Leo, Donnie and Raph took up one of the couches, while Mikey sat comfortably in an armchair, smiling.  
  
"Nice place Pri," he said.  
  
"Thanks Mikey," she said. She walked over to the TV, switched it on and threw the remote for Mikey to catch; and as she thought, he caught it with one hand as though it was attracted to him. "Have what you want on, I'm jus gunna make some hot chocolate. Who wants some?"  
  
They all said yes as one, and Prida smiled. But she caught sight of herself in the mirror above the mantelpiece and fire. She walked towards it, hypnotised by the small red wound on her neck. She found herself, again, wondering what she would have done had her friend not been there.  
  
The guys were watching her examine her scar, and Donnie got up and walked towards her.  
  
"Hey, I'll get that cleaned for you," he said softly, smiling.  
  
Prida turned away from the mirror, her trance broken. "Thanks," she said, and led him into the kitchen where she keeps her first aid kits. Leo, Raph and Mikey returned to the TV.  
  
Donnie swabbed her wound with cotton wool, then dabbed on some antiseptic cream. She winced as it stung.  
  
"I feel like I'm the victim of a vampire," she joked, holding her head back, exposing her neck for him.  
  
Donnie laughed. "Yeah, I'm going to suck your blood," he said in Count Dracula's dead voice. She laughed.  
  
When he finished, he threw the cotton wools away, and packed her first aid box away, while Prida sorted out the hot chocolates.  
  
"Hey, I'm really thankful that you saved me," she said quietly to him as he put the box in a top draw. "I really don't know what he would have done if you hadn't been there."  
  
"Hey, we'll always be here for you," Donnie said softly, looking into her sad purple eyes. They glinted back at him, and he smiled. Donnie only wished he could keep that promise forever; because he knew he wouldn't be able to if certain things happened.  
  
Prida smiled, and wrapped her arms around Donnie's neck, hugging him. He hugged her back.  
  
"Thank you," she whispered.  
  
()()()()  
  
Fifteen minutes later the front door was opened and in came Prida's sister, Mai, along with her boyfriend, Korey. The guys and Prida had been watching TV, while at the same time playing Twister. Mikey was in a low crab position, underneath Prida, who was laughing and was leaning on her left hand across Mikey, and her left foot stretched out. Raph was in a bridge position above them all, and Leo was stood with both feet on blue, sighing and smiling. He had got the easy ones. Donnie was doing the spinning.  
  
Mai walked in with Korey behind her, and when she saw the tangle of bodies she laughed.  
  
"What fun," she said, grinning.  
  
"Hey Mai!" Prida managed to say, her back to her sister. "We're almost done, all I need is for Raph and Mikey to fall over, and then it's me and Leo!"  
  
"You wish. I never lose Twister!" Mikey said.  
  
Mai laughed again and took her coat into the hallway to hang it up along with Korey's, who was watching the Twister game, sat next to Donnie. It was nice to see Prida with friends. Prida had never really brought any friends round, although she did have a few good friends at school. But until these quadruplets came, they're mostly what she talks about. Mai was happy her sister had found such good friends, especially ones that saved her.  
  
She heard a thud and a load of cheers and 'ooos!'.  
  
"Ha Mikey you're out!" Prida said. Mikey grinned and started to tickle her. She couldn't help it; she laughed, and collapsed into fits, pulling Raph down too.  
  
"That's cheating Mikey!" She said. He only grinned.  
  
"Okay guys, I'm gunna get dinner ready!" Mai called in.  
  
"Okay, thanks," Prida called back, quite happy now, that Mai had asked her to invite the guys round. "Another game?"  
  
They all agreed, and even Korey joined in after shouting to Mai that he would help with dinner as soon as he's out of the game. He was the kind of guy who gets on well with everyone, a lot like Mikey. Prida relived Donnie from his spinning duty, and he joined his brothers around the edge, waiting to start.  
  
"Who's starting?" She asked.  
  
"Donnie," Mikey said, pointing to his brother next to him.  
  
"Why me?" He asked.  
  
"Because the beginning letter of you name is closest to the beginning in the alphabet."  
  
Prida spun the spinner. "Right hand blue."  
  
Donnie bent down and slapped his right hand on the blue circle.  
  
Prida spun again and said, "Korey's next 'cause his letter comes next - left hand green!"  
  
After that Leo's turn came, and his was "Right foot blue" again, while Mike's was "left hand red" and Raph's was "right hand blue". Leo was the only one standing again, and he was grinning about it.  
  
"Dudette, are you just going soft on Leo?" Mikey asked after a few minutes, in which everyone had been moved into twisted positions except Leo, who was crouching with both feet on blue, and one hand on blue.  
  
Prida laughed. "No, I'm just reading it off as it comes. Leo's got a lotta luck."  
  
Leo grinned as all his brothers threw funny glares at him. Korey chuckled.  
  
"Get going Pri, this position is killing my arms!" He said. "And I have to help your sister in the kitchen."  
  
"I should think so," came her voice from the next room. The sounds of draws and cutlery could be heard, along with the copping of foods. Prida was glad her sister hadn't even noticed her scar on her neck.  
  
At the moment Korey collapsed and laughed. The others all grinned with a few 'hahas'. Korey picked himself up and said he was going to help Mai now and for Prida to make it a bit harder on them. They groaned and Korey laughed, disappearing into the kitchen.  
  
A few minutes later the smell of food cooking wafted into the room where Prida had joined in again and Mikey was spinning. He realised Prida was pretty good at this as she hadn't lost yet, and even Leo, Donnie and Raph were shaking, but that could be because they were in difficult positions and she was sat in a simple one.  
  
Finally, after another minute of getting nowhere, Donnie decided to collapse. He fell out, grinning as his brothers and Prida continued.  
  
"Prida, left foot red!" Mikey said.  
  
!What!? Prida said, looking across the mat to the red spots. She turned and stretched her leg over to a red splodge, under Leo, who made a face.  
  
"Prida, your feet stink!" He joked.  
  
Prida laughed and attempted to hit him playfully, but she wobbled and fell, grinning but pouting.  
  
"Ha, Prida lost!" Mikey shouted. She grabbed a pillow and hit him with it, kneeling on the floor. Donnie laughed. He was sat next to Mikey, and got caught by the pillow.  
  
"Sorry Don," she said, smiling. She turned and sat, leaning against Mikey's legs to watch Leo and Raph now.  
  
"Raph, blue foot left - I mean left foot blue!"  
  
Everyone burst out laughing; even in the kitchen Mai and Korey chuckled. Raph stretched his leg out, but knocked Leo's arm, who went tumbling - but saved himself, knocking Raph, who went down. Donnie, Mikey and Prida clapped, as Raph sat, sprawled, on the floor. He pushed Leo over, who fell heavily, ginning.  
  
"Hey, guys, I hope you all like this what I'm making," Mai called from the kitchen, appearing in the doorway, smiling at them all.  
  
"I love anything!" Mikey said, twirling the spinner with his finger.  
  
"Good!" Mai said.  
  
"Hey, we appreciate you inviting us round for dinner," Leo said to her.  
  
She smiled. "That's okay, I appreciate you saving my sister." She grinned and went back into the kitchen.  
  
Mikey stood up to look at some framed pictures on the mantelpiece. He saw Prida and her sister, but with who was obviously their parents. Prida and Mai were younger, and Mikey wondered where her parents were. Prida watched him looking.  
  
Half and hour later dinner was ready and set up on a massive table in another room through the big house. It turned out Mai was a great cook, and Mikey started spilling stories about how he became the cook of his brothers. He had them all laughing.  
  
"I never met anyone like you lot before," Mai laughed, sat next to Korey and Prida on one side of the table. Next to Prida was Donnie, then on the side of the table was Mikey, then opposite Donnie on the other side was Raph then Leo.  
  
"Well, everyone's unique," Mikey smiled and stuffed a roast potato in his mouth.  
  
Mai nodded. "So, what's it like in LA?" She asked, spearing her own potato with her fork.  
  
Mikey opened his mouth, pondering. "It's . . . er . . . nice. I guess it's cool, but we're used to everything there so nothing's too exciting." His brothers nodded quickly, hoping Mai won't ask anymore.  
  
She nodded, then asked the guys and Prida how school was going. All the bros sighed slightly; glad they were off the topic of themselves.  
  
Apart from that tense talk, the rest of the dinner was great. They had never been to an invited dinner before, and when Leo announced that they should go home, they all groaned, even Raph.  
  
"Hey, well, I hope you can come again," Mai said, showing them to the door. They were getting their sneakers on. "This is the least I can do after you saved Prida."  
  
"Hey, the pleasure was ours," Mikey said in a posh voice, and everyone laughed.  
  
The phone rang at that minute. Mai once again said goodbye to them, and disappeared in to get it. Korey had gone to the toilet.  
  
Prida opened the door for the guys. Leo walked to it and turned to her.  
  
"You'll be okay?" He asked, smiling gently.  
  
"Yeah sure, thanks Leo," she said, and let go of the door to hug him. Then he said goodbye and walked out into the dark, cold air, where he waited for his brothers.  
  
"Prida!" Mikey held out his hand for a high-five, and she slapped it, laughing. Then he hugged her.  
  
"Whoa, thanks Mikey, see ya tomorrow."  
  
Mikey grinned and winked at her, then walked out after Leo. The cold air was blowing in through the door and Prida rubbed her bare arms.  
  
"Sorry, we're letting in the cold," Donnie apologised. "C'mon Raph." Raph was just shoving his trainer laces into his trainers and slipping them on. Donnie turned back to Prida, and she hugged him.  
  
"Thanks Donnie, for saying you'll be there for me," she whispered. Donnie winced again inside, but smiled on the outside.  
  
"Sure Prida," he said, smiling. He shivered at the cold and walked out, joining Leo and Mikey, who were dancing around on their feet because of the cold.  
  
Prida waved at them, and then turned to Raph, who was just standing up, still trying to shove his laces inside his trainer.  
  
"Hey, Raph, see ya tomorra," Prida smiled. He stood up straight, and smiled back.  
  
"Yeah, I'm not looking forward to Maths with Mr Reily again, though," he grinned.  
  
Prida smiled, and slowly wrapped her arms around him. He hesitated that split second before hugging her back.  
  
"I have to thank you and your brothers for saving me yet again," she whispered, closing her eyes, leaning her chin in his neck. He smiled.  
  
"Hey, it's what we do best," he joked.  
  
"Um . . . Raph?" Prida pulled away and looked in is face. "I saw the way you fought those punks . . . I was just wondering what was that fight technique you used?"  
  
Knowing Ninjas were usually used for assaniations, Raph didn't want to say. But he felt a strong urge not to lie, so he said, "Ninjitsu." He turned and walked out the door.  
  
Prida watched their dark figures disappear, and then she shut the door, thinking.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Phew, done! Okay, that was a bit longer than I intended, but oh well. Thanks for reviews, SFAM. Thanks to whoever nominated me, and good luck to the rest of you ;) 


	27. A Normal School Day

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"We hoped you wouldn't mind, Master."  
  
Leo bowed his head and kept it bowed before Splinter, that night. His brothers were one step behind him, their eyes agreeing to Leo, and bowing slightly too. They were standing in April's apartment, April herself was behind the kitchen counter, observing.  
  
Splinter's face had no expression, so the guys could not tell what he was thinking, and if he was mad or not. He glanced at of all his sons before he blinked and sighed, his face now held a kind smile.  
  
"I am happy for what you did," he finally said. His sons all breathed out in relief. "And I am, as any other parent would be, proud of you. You have made a real friend there." His smiled widened slightly, and his sons seem to blush faintly.  
  
"Her sister was a great cook, the food was excellent!" Mikey said enthusiastically. "Inspires me to experiment more." He glanced at the kitchen, as though it was calling to him.  
  
April stepped out from behind the counter. "Oh no, Mikey; I'm not having you blowing up my kitchen, or burning my food!" She knew it was only going to be a matter of time before the guys actually relaxed in their human forms and acted completely normal - in other words they were going to probably destroy everything breakable. Of course they would never mean to do it on purpose, but if you live with four ninjas, and teenagers at that, then there would bound to be accidents. April made a note to herself for later: Hide everything breakable and valuable where the guys wouldn't touch them.  
  
Mikey only grinned at her, while his brothers smiled and shook their heads. Mikey was great in the kitchen; it was just that when he was trying something new there tended to be a lot more accidents; or when he had finished he would try out his cooking on one of his brothers and they would hurl; or he would throw it away so many times the bin would overflow and there would be no more food left for them, because they only had small amounts down in the sewers anyway. Mikey was reminded of these every time he hinted that he was going to try something new. But this time his brothers and Splinter only groaned.  
  
Splinter smiled at his sons as three of them shook their heads and the other grinned. They all went over and sat on the couch, while April looked at her wrist, where she checked the time on her Rolex watch.  
  
"Guys, it's getting late, and about this time the bad guys will be wanting to play, if there is any," she said, reminding them of their patrolling night.  
  
"Oh yeah," Donnie said, staring at the ceiling. He and his brother got up again and headed to the door. They already had their sneakers on, as they hadn't taken them off when they came in a few minutes ago.  
  
"Oh, I wanted to stay in the kitchen," Mikey moaned, moving slower than the other three.  
  
April looked at Leo, Donnie and Raph, eyebrows raised. "You take him away from my kitchen, and wear him out if you have to so he won't be in the mood to mess up my kitchen."  
  
Mikey tilted his head and gave April a look. She smiled and shooed him to the door, where Raph had already disappeared. Before Leo went, he bowed to his Master, and said bye to April and Splinter.  
  
()()()()  
  
The morning sun shone in through the windows past the curtains that Mikey had just drawn aside. He glanced happily down at the streets below, and made his way to the kitchen with springs in his feet.  
  
It was very early in the morning, about a quarter to six. The reason Mikey was up at this time was because he really had to start working on some masterpiece of food in the kitchen. He wanted to have something new waiting for everyone when they woke up. Praise from his family was like gold to a poor man. He needed it, and appreciated it very much.  
  
Humming quietly to himself, Mikey tiptoed past Donnie, who was still sleeping on the couch with his mouth open, and into the kitchen, where he took out April's black wok from the cupboard under the counter. He placed it on the cooker rings and turned on the electric. Then he began pulling all sorts of foods out from the fridge and the cupboards, all that looked to promise a delicious breakfast, and would get him his praise.  
  
When he cooked, Mikey always tried to get the best possible dish he could think of out of the food. He always worked hard. His secret was that he imaged he was trying to please the most important of people, like the President, or Leo. Nah, Leo wasn't that hard to please, it was Raph who was the challenge; Raph was picky about certain foods, and Mikey enjoyed experimenting on him, trying to find out what he really liked.  
  
After having all of his unusual ingredients out and ready to be thrown together, Mikey made no attempt of keeping the noise down. He would let the wok thud on the ring, but he wouldn't cause too much noise. He wasn't worried about Donnie waking up because his brother had been worn out more than him yesterday in their attempt to wear him out, in April's request. Donnie wasn't a light sleeper like Leo, but he wasn't a deep sleeper like Mikey and Raph.  
  
As the bin piled high with the empty packets and unneeded food, the time went by quickly for Mikey. He had much fun experimenting, and he had come up with a highly praise-worth breakfast, that was laid on the kitchen counter, in full view to anyone, for when everyone got up.  
  
Grinning as he imagined everyone's faces when they tried his cooking, Mikey slipped his apron off and looked up to a groan.  
  
Donnie was stirring. His forehead furrowed as he lifted his head for a second, eyes still closed, and sniffed the air. Something smelled good. He opened his eyes and they seemed to open right on the plates that were placed on the counter. Donnie pushed himself up, and nearly had a heart attack when Mikey appeared in his face.  
  
"Hey Donnie, smell something?" Mikey asked, grin on his face. He was bending his back to come down to Donnie's level. He straightened up and watched his brother climb off the couch.  
  
Donnie stretched, and glanced at the clock. It was eight O'clock. His eyes shifted to the plates again. His stomach growled, and this only seemed to widen Mikey's grin. Donnie knew his brother had been up a while, probably testing some new cooking recipes for them.  
  
"Okay, smells good, whatcha cooked?" Donnie asked, voice breaking slightly as he stretched.  
  
Mikey shrugged. "I dunno, but you have to try it and tell me whatcha think."  
  
Donnie groaned, but the breakfast Mikey had cooked up smelled delicious. He was a little wary of it at first when Mikey held out a fork for him. It was a mixture of things, and looked unappetising. However, it did smell nice, and when Donnie hastily and gingerly put a forkful in his mouth and chew, it tasted much better than it looked.  
  
Mikey watched his brother. Sure, they all look like they're about to eat dung when they slowly take a bite, but it showed him how wrong their impression of his food was. Donnie's scrunched up face loosened and he tilted his head thoughtfully while he chewed. He began to nod.  
  
"Mikey, this is REALLY great," he said, swallowing and taking another bite.  
  
Mikey smiled smugly. "As usual!"  
  
"Whassis noise?" A groggy voice spoke behind them.  
  
They both turned to see April walking down the stairs, yawning widely, her dressing robe wrapped around her.  
  
"Oh hey Ape, I made breakies!" Mikey said as April walked over to them, sniffing.  
  
"Um, I can smell it, smells good Mike," she said, and Mikey beamed. He gave her a fork, and a plate and directed her onto one of the kitchen stools, where she ate it, praising him.  
  
A few seconds after she had tucked in, Leo and Raph came tumbling down the stairs, landing in a tangled heap at the bottom, groaning.  
  
"Raph, you klutz, you tripped me up," Leo moaned, pushing Raph's leg off his head.  
  
"Ouch, well you pushed me," Raph said, putting a hand to his head and making no attempt to get up.  
  
"I didn't, I stumbled."  
  
"Well then I didn't trip you on the stairs!"  
  
"Yes you did, I saw your foot!"  
  
"It wasn't my fault, and why didn't you step over it then?"  
  
"Guys," April said, putting her plate back down on the counter. She pulled her robe cord tighter around her thin waist.  
  
Both Leo and Raph stopped arguing and looked up tiredly, eye half open.  
  
"I smell -" Leo said.  
  
"Something good," Raph finished.  
  
They both scrambled to their feet (after tripping over themselves again), and walked over to where Mikey was grinning, and holding out two forks for them.  
  
"Been experimenting again, Mikey?" Leo asked, taking a fork and digging into a plate full of food.  
  
"Yep. Up bright and early to made you guys something worth eating in the morning." Mikey smiled proudly.  
  
"And it was worth getting up for," April said, swallowing her last mouthful and putting the plate in the sink. "Thanks Mikey, that was great." She hugged him, and he kept his arm around her shoulders when they broke, still smiling. He told himself it would be worthwhile.  
  
A soft padding behind them made them look up, and see Splinter observing them all, a smile on his face.  
  
"Morning Master Splinter," all bros said together, bowing respectfully. The old rat bowed his head, and made his way to his armchair. Mikey hurried over to him with a fork and a plate of his excellent cooking.  
  
"Ah, I heard wonders about this little feast," Splinter said, taking the plate. "Thank you, Michelangelo." Mikey beamed.  
  
"Guys, you better go get changed," April said, looking at the clock. They were all still in their nightwear; completely indistinguishable.  
  
"Okay," Leo nodded. "Guys, upstairs." They all tramped to the stairs where they climbed and disappeared. April and Splinters, eyes on the ceiling, listened to their voices.  
  
"Ow, hey - Mikey, that's mine!" Raph's voice could be heard.  
  
"Sorry, looks orange in the dark."  
  
"Donnie, they're my pants."  
  
"Sorry Leo, oo, money."  
  
"Where? Gimme! Leo, how could you hold out on us!?"  
  
"Mikey, gerrout of it! Donnie! Put that back in my pocket! It's April's money, not ours."  
  
"Hey, these socks are odd. I got one blue on and one orange one I think."  
  
"Mikey, that's my sock! Donnie THAT'S mine! Raph . . . those're yours, yeah."  
  
April looked at Splinter, who was smiling, nearly laughing. April laughed.  
  
A few minutes later, the guys thundered down the stairs, all wearing the correct clothes, and each looking slightly miserable and tired.  
  
"Cheer up guys, you soon won't have to put up with this when you change back."  
  
As soon as she said it she knew she shouldn't have. April cringed slightly when she saw the effect of that sentence on the guys. They all looked positively miserable now. Except Mikey, who was only looking miserable.  
  
Leo decided to be positive about it. "Yeah, you're right Ape. I'll be glad when we don't have to do this every morning." Would he be glad? He put on a brave face anyway.  
  
"Excluding Saturdays and Sundays," Donnie added, with a stretch and a yawn.  
  
"You do not have to wait long, my sons," Splinter said, drawing all of their gazes to him. "Your time is near."  
  
()()()()  
  
"Man, I don't think I can take any more of Macbeth," Mikey moaned as they made their way to their first class, English.  
  
"We've only had two classes on it," Donnie said. "I don't mind." He smiled.  
  
"These words dost not surprise mine ears," Mikey joked in Macbeth language.  
  
As they laughed, they made their way into their classroom, where the teacher was writing something on the board, in preparation for their class, or maybe for the next one. Prida was already in her seat when they walked in. She was talking to some guy, who seemed to be embarrassing her. When the four bros walked up to them, the boy looked at them and went back to his seat, across the room and a row back.  
  
The bros took their seats as more people filed in the room.  
  
"What did he want?" Mikey asked Prida, who had been slouched in her seat, but now sat up straight.  
  
Prida went red slightly. "He asked me if I wanted to go to the disco with him." She glanced back at the boy, who had just glanced at her and turned back to his friends. "I don't even know him."  
  
Mikey put on a pout. "But Prida, you're going with me, right? Please!"  
  
Prida couldn't help it. She grinned widely. "Mikey, I'm - not - going!"  
  
Donnie reached over and put his hand on Mikey's arm. "Easy tiger, she don't wanna go. You're gunna annoy her so much she's gunna punch you like she did Ci Ci."  
  
They all chuckled, and then silenced as the last of the late people found their chairs and the English class started.  
  
It was, as Mikey said at the end of the first period, a boring class for everyone except Donnie, who used all his ink in his biro that he had to ask the teacher for a spare. They spent this class writing out quotes from the play's first scene, which was pretty short; so how the hell did Donnie use all of his ink? Because he asked the teacher if he could go onto the next act, and the next, and the next, until the bell rang for period two.  
  
As they came out of that classroom, Donnie was flexing his fingers, explaining to his frowning brothers that they were stiff from all the writing. They weren't surprised, and again Mikey said 'These words dost not surprise mine ears'. Prida found that funny.  
  
"Er, Mikey, Raph, we've just gone past your room," Leo said, pointing behind him.  
  
They both frowned. "What we got?" They asked.  
  
"Maths," Donnie replied. His brothers groaned, and trotted back along the corridor, disappearing into a room where, a second later, shouts rang through the corridor, until the door was slammed shut.  
  
Shaking his head, Donnie stepped into his own room, saying a quick 'see ya' to Leo and Prida, who continued down the corridor until they reached their room.  
  
They class got started pretty quickly, and Prida struck up a conversation with Leo about this upcoming disco. She tried to hide it, but Leo could tell she was excited a little bit. He could see the brightness in her eyes when she talked about it. She wanted to go, he realised; then why was she always saying she didn't want to? Just because of wearing a dress?  
  
"Are all of you going?" Prida asked. "I know Mikey is, I wondered if you, Don or Raph might go as well." She looked slightly shy, but then she got over it quickly.  
  
Leo smiled and cocked his head to one side. "Yeah, I haven't been to a . . . erm, many discos. I wouldn't want to miss out, and see my brothers go crazy. Mikey always does when there's a party."  
  
Prida laughed. "Yeah, just by knowing him I can tell he's a mental type. But he's cute." She giggled.  
  
After Maths, they both walked out together and down the corridor, where they met Donnie just coming out of his room, and Mikey and Raph to ran out of theirs and around the corner. Mr Reily came out a second after they had disappeared, looking ready to kill. Leo, Donnie and Prida looked at each other, then walked past the steaming teacher and round the corner.  
  
They met Raph and Mikey at the usual place; the lockers. They were both smiling to themselves, and Matt was with them, smiling too.  
  
"Okay, what did you do?" Leo asked when they reached them. He raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Sir was making fun of me," Mikey started, grinning. "So we writ down on a bit of paper the words 'kiss it or kick it', put some glue on it and laid it on Reily's chair -" he laughed. "He sat down, and about twenty minutes later, just as the bell rang he noticed all the other kids in the class laughing and pointing at him! He took it off just as we bolted out the door!"  
  
He and Raph collapsed laughing. Matt was chuckling too, and Prida and Donnie looked at each other, rolling their eyes, smiling.  
  
Their next class was R.E, and when the bell rang for it to begin, they all made their way to their room, saying bye to Matt.  
  
"Hiyya Miss!" Mikey said cheerfully to the teacher. She smiled back at him, chuckling at his happy manner.  
  
"Okay kiddie winkles," she said. "Since it's near the disco and since you have exams next week, I'm gunna let you watch a video." She was a nice teacher, sometimes sarcastic, smart, nice to everyone, funny and cool.  
  
Everyone in the class cheered, and then the teacher pulled out the video The Fast and The Furious. While it played, some people talked and some people watched. A few were playing cards.  
  
"Geeze, this feels like the holidays," Prida said, smiling. She was leaning on the table watching the film. She hadn't seen it before.  
  
"This what you do when the holidays are near?" Donnie asked, his hand was on his side, massaging it; it ached.  
  
"Yeah, don't you?" Prida looked away form the TV to him.  
  
Donnie frowned. "We didn't go to - I mean no we didn't." He added quickly when he saw Leo, Raph and Mikey's faces behind Prida. She frowned and looked over her shoulder at them; they quickly sat back down, eyes on the TV.  
  
Their next class was a not so fun one: Physics. Everyone except Donnie groaned, but that was probably because he was too busy trying to tune down the pain in his side. It seemed to be playing up today.  
  
"Eugh, I hate Physics," Prida complained as she and the guys walked in, the teacher heard and shrugged.  
  
This class wasn't as fun as the last. They spent this period doing revision, and even Donnie put his pen down on the table and began to massage his head, still with his other hand on his side. Leo looked at him, concerned.  
  
"Hey, dude, are you alright?" Mikey asked, frowning.  
  
"Yeah," Donnie droned. "Well - no, my side is killing me, I have a rotten headache, and this is the first time I can't be bothered to do any work, because I can't . . ."  
  
"Sure you can, It's just your headache letting ya down," Mikey said, attempting to cheer his brother up. Donnie smiled, though it was a small one.  
  
Physics seemed like the longest class so far, and it felt like two days later they were finally leaving it, and heading for a welcome lunch. The canteen couldn't have shone better in their eyes.  
  
"Pizza, pizza, pizza, pizza!" Mikey chanted. He ran through the thin crowd of people (it was seconds after the bell so most people were still in their classrooms) into the canteen, closely followed by his brothers and Prida.  
  
Donnie and Raph grabbed a table, while Leo, Mikey and Prida went to get grub. They came back a few seconds later with steaming pizzas for everyone (two for Mikey. "Only two!?" Raph looked amazed), a few little snacks for taking out with them and three drinks; one for Prida, and two for the guys to share, though Prida ended up sharing hers with Mikey, who drank a full one to himself.  
  
"I'm so surprised you don't get indigestion eating like that," Prida chuckled as Mikey chomped on a slab of flapjack.  
  
"He was born to eat like that," Leo joked, smiling as they all watched Mikey eat. He nodded in agreement to Leo.  
  
After lunch they quickly registered and made their way to their fifth class of the day; French. It wasn't as bad as it could have been. The teacher told them to practise saying and memorising some words and testing a friend, while she went around correcting them.  
  
"I'm still leaning how to say 'J 'mappelle Mikey," Mikey moaned. He looked enviously at Donnie. "He's just a boff!"  
  
"C'est facile, Mikey!" Donnie said, beaming.  
  
"C'est trop difficile," Raph muttered, head in his hands. "Et barbant."  
  
"Didn't tell me you could say that," Donnie frowned, smiling.  
  
"I saw it in a book and memorised it, that's not hard is it?" Raph said.  
  
Prida smiled, as Mikey gawped. He at least thought, hoped, Raph would be as rubbish as he was at French. Maybe he should learn more. Leo smiled, reading Mikey's thoughts from his facial expression.  
  
Their next and final class of the day was Business Studies, of which they all took, including Matt and his brother Owen, along with a new friend of Matt's, Ben Taylor.  
  
Their class was boring, and was, as boring classes are, slow. No one paid any attention to the work, and even Donnie stopped, put his open down and joined din the conversation. They didn't get in trouble for not doing any work because their teacher didn't care. He was sat at his desk, puzzling over a crossword in the local newspaper.  
  
The slow, what-seemed-like-two-days class ended forty minutes later, and everyone rushed out. But before leaving, Donnie stood behind the teacher, who had not moved, and stared thoughtfully at the crossword. Then he smiled to himself and whispered the answer to the teacher, then he rushed out to meet his brothers.  
  
The teacher didn't move, but a second later he looked at what the kid had just told him, smiled and put it in. A crossword complete.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Okay, I'm finishing this chapter right here! I have had a horrible case of Writers Block, which kept bugging me, then going away, then coming back again. Damn thing, and I share my sympathy for HexAdecimal. Hope you recover soon ;). Okay, since my troubled Writer's Block issue thingy keeps annoying me, could I ask for some suggestions, just for something to happen for days Wednesday and Thursday, because I haven't got anything planned for this until I get to Friday. But I might have gotten over my writer's block (I'm trying to be strong about it) and have thought of something, but it's unlikely. So, just a few suggestions of what little events or scraps, or whatever for Wednesday or Thursday. Thankies ;) ------- Oh and since it's Christmas, I thought I'd conjure up a massive imaginary Christmas card to you all saying thanks for the reviews, thanks for adding me in their stories and overall thanks for updating YOUR stories! Lol, \hands over huge Christmas card which stands in the TMNT ff cabinet. It has a die-for cute pic of the guys on the front wearing read Santa hats and battling with candy canes, lol! (I wish there were such a card!)/ ------ Oh, and I have to say that throwing Legolas at me, Daydream, was not nice for poor Leggie! \Cuddles the action figure/ Mind you it did hurt, lol \rubs bruise on head/ Hehe, I got Sais, thanks Lenni! \Brandishes Sais at Daydream/ Hehe.  
  
Ziptango, plz update Twisted again, I know I'm asking straight after you just updated, but it's so cooooool! ---- Just a quick note, I've been working on a little riddle fic about authors. It's pretty hard getting them to rhyme and so far I only have one person who I have down. C'est difficile! But I'll try and get more, if you want, you can give me some details that you think might be useful in a riddle. I have no idea if I'm even gunna upload it . . . I'm shy when it comes to those things, heh (.  
  
So, have a great Christmas everyone! Have fun, get drunk, blah de blah, loads of presies, and HAPPY CHRISTMAS!! (It feels like it's the end of this story, or like I'm leaving!) \dissolves in tears/ SFAM 


	28. Talking brings ideas

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Hey guys, have fun at school?" April walked through her apartment door after having just finished work.  
  
It was an hour and a half since the guys had got back from school. They had crashed on the couch, except Mikey who grabbed a popcorn bowl before crashing on the floor in front of the couch. They were now watching The Terminator.  
  
"Depends what you class as 'fun'," Donnie said, his hand on his hand.  
  
"Oh, okay, did you have hell in school?" April asked, smiling and taking her coat off while kicking her shoes off.  
  
"Yep," they all said in unison.  
  
April grinned and shook her head as she placed her shoes neatly on the mat at the side of the doorway. Then she plonked her bag down on the table and disappeared upstairs to change.  
  
The tape in the VCR stopped and rewound itself, as it had come to the end of the tape. They guys didn't even move; but when it had finished rewinding, Leo picked up the remote, which was on the chair arm next to him, and pressed play again. No one moved or complained, they just watched, with Mikey crunching away at the popcorn. Though a few minutes later, when the trailers had finished and the movie began again, Donnie nudged Mikey on the shoulder.  
  
"Wanna share that?" Donnie pointed to the popcorn bowl.  
  
"No," Mikey smiled, and carried on eating.  
  
It soon turned into a wrestling match to get the popcorn, and without Donnie realising it, the popcorn bowl was let go by Mikey.  
  
Raph picked it up, smiling, and passed it to Leo, who reached over the arm and put it behind the couch where neither of their playing brothers could see it.  
  
A few seconds later Donnie and Mikey stopped wrestling each other and searched the floor.  
  
"Where'd the popcorn go?" Mikey asked.  
  
"No idea," Leo said, keeping a straight face while just having pulled his arm back from behind the couch and handing a few popcorn puffs to Raph, who shrugged.  
  
Donnie and Mikey both grinned and leaped behind the couch; but Leo was quicker. He pulled the bowl out before they saw him, and sat it between him and Raph, who ate contently, watching the movie, which had now started.  
  
April appeared on the stairs, and when she saw the two rolling around on the floor she sighed and put her hands on her hips.  
  
"What are you two doing?" She asked, walking down the stairs.  
  
Donnie and Mikey looked up. "Looking for the popcorn." They both said in strangled voices. This was maybe because Donnie had got hold of Mikey's arm and pinned it to his back, while Mikey had grabbed Donnie's free arm and trapped it between him and the floor.  
  
April glanced at Leo and Raph; both had turned around to see what their brothers were doing. They shrugged, grinned and turned back to the TV.  
  
"And I thought it would be you two who started the first fight," April said to them, making her way to the kitchen. "Where's Splinter?" She called from the kitchen.  
  
"He's outside on the roof, meditating," Leo answered, switching hands to lean his head on, eyes still on the TV. "He's been out there for about half an hour."  
  
"Oh, well he'll come in when he's ready," April said, making a pot of tea. "Casey said he might pop round for a bit, later. Said he cleaned up the town of all the filth, so no more heads to bust." She smiled fondly.  
  
"Yeah right, he probably couldn't handle them all and is coming round here to ask us to help," Raph snorted.  
  
"Yeah, I'm bored, I wanna do something," Mikey said from the floor behind the couch. He and Donnie had given up looking for the popcorn, but when they both stood up and spotted the bowl on the couch, they shook their heads and sat back down, on the floor.  
  
"Watch the movie," April suggested, pointing to The Terminator.  
  
"We've already watched it once," Mikey moaned. Donnie nodded.  
  
"Play a game then!"  
  
"What about Twister?" Mikey asked his brothers.  
  
"What about Hang man?" Donnie suggested.  
  
"Hang Mikey," Raph grinned.  
  
Just then someone knocked on the front door, and they all shut up and turned to look at it.  
  
"Yo, Ape, s'me," Casey's muffled voice called through.  
  
Everyone seemed to unfreeze and April moved towards the door. She opened it and Casey's smiling face walked in.  
  
"Yo guys," he said, nodding once.  
  
"Yo Casey," they all said in unison.  
  
"Man, you look like someone's just died," Casey joked. Then his grin vanished and he said, "Where's Splinter?"  
  
"Oh, he's okay, Casey," April laughed. "He's outside." She pointed to the kitchen window.  
  
"So, sup?" Casey sat down in the armchair; his hockey stick was leant against the coat rack when he came in.  
  
"The ceiling," Donnie said in a dead tone of voice.  
  
Ha ha, that was funny," Casey said, sarcastically. "Whatcha been up to then? At least tell me something interesting."  
  
The guys all looked sidelong at each other. Since they were taking too long to answer, April smiled and answered for them.  
  
"They were invited to a friend's dinner," she said, glancing at the guys who looked at her as though she had spilled some great secret.  
  
Casey's eyebrows rose the fell. "Who?"  
  
"A friend," Raph said, firmly, glancing at April, as though warning her not to say who.  
  
"Yeah, and Mai cooks the best dinner," Mikey said happily, glad he had a topic to talk about now.  
  
"Mai?" Casey cocked an eyebrow again. "So it's a girl, eh?"  
  
"Oh, No, Mai's her sister!" Mikey said, glancing at Raph who was shooting him death glares.  
  
"HER sister? She's still a she then?" Casey grinned. He saw all the guys seemed to be looking anywhere but him. "Aw c'mon guys, I'm not THAT bad to talk to. What was her name, it was the one who was here when I took April out for dinner, wasn't it?"  
  
"Yeah, her name's Prida," Donnie said. What was the point, it was only embarrassing Raph the most.  
  
Casey sat back. "So what did you do?"  
  
"Ate dinner, whadda ya think?" Raph said, with a strong sarcastic tone.  
  
"Raph's just a sour mouth," Mikey said, "we played Twister, it was cool - and Leo got all the easy colours, like . . . "  
  
While Mikey went into detail about their game of Twister, and Korey, Mai's boyfriend, had joined in, April started to make some pasta for the guys, who said they were starving. Casey didn't ask for any, he said he was stuffed, and that just beating up the scum in the town was enough for him.  
  
When everyone who wanted pasta had been supplied with it, and April sat down on the armchair arm next to Casey, Ape suggested something the guys didn't expect for her to say.  
  
"So, guys," April drew their attention away from The Terminator, who was now crawling after Sarah, his metal skeleton showing now his skin had been ripped away. "Yu know what you should do now, that'll be nice?"  
  
They stared at her, all raising their eyebrows slowly.  
  
"What?" Mikey asked, after a two second hesitation.  
  
"You should invite Prida around here for lunch," April said, smiling.  
  
They all stared. Casey looked at their expression. They were all blanc. Then they all unfroze and started stuttering about what could happen if she stayed here too long, and how she might come over too many times, and how she might notice something.  
  
April and Casey laughed. The guys' faces were red slightly, except Mikey, who looked thoughtfully at the ceiling and then grinned at April.  
  
"Actually Ape, that would be great!" He exclaimed, jumping to his feet.  
  
"April - Mikey - we couldn't," Leo sputtered. "What about Master Splinter? He would be shut up again, and we can't show her! And what if - if she sees something or -"  
  
"Leo, you need to lighten up, chill out dude!" Mikey said. "C'mon, this could be fun, I mean, it's returning the favour. She's our friend . . . How many times have we been able to invite friends to dinner?"  
  
Leo opened his mouth then shut it, decided to open it again but thought better of it. He was doing good impressions of a goldfish.  
  
"But what ABOUT Master Splinter?" Donnie asked quietly. "We can't shut him out again, it's not very fair . . ."  
  
"We can talk to him, ask him, he'll understand," Mikey assured him.  
  
"But we slip up so much," Leo regained his voice. "Especially Mikey. What if something big spills out?"  
  
"Leo, chill, we can be careful, right guys?" Mikey looked happily at his other two brothers, and then at April, who shrugged, smiling, and nodded. "Wicked! So whadda ya say, Leo? Please!?"  
  
Leo stilled looked as though he strongly disagreed. But the face his brother in orange was making was too cute to ignore.  
  
"Fine! But YOU'RE asking Splinter," Leo said, giving up.  
  
"Okay!" Mikey said, too happy to actually put much focus in his answer. He turned to Raph, who had not said anything. "Hey, you're agreeing right?"  
  
Everyone now looked at the two. Raph stared at his brother and managed a small smile, though he couldn't keep the anxiety out of his expression.  
  
"Good enough for me!" Mikey said. "I'll ask Master when he comes in."  
  
"You do not have to wait long, my son, I am here."  
  
They all turned to look at Splinter in the kitchen. The window behind him was open, and it was obvious he had only just come in. From the draft caused by the open window that touched their warm faces, it was turning cold outside, as well as dark.  
  
Splinter looked at Mikey, waiting for him to say what he wanted to.  
  
Mikey turned his body around to face his Master. "Well, Master Splinter, we wanted to do something nice for our . . . friend, Prida. And, we kinda wondered if she would be able to join us for dinner after school like we had; but we didn't know if we could because . . . we didn't want to shut you out again . . ." Mikey stopped because Splinter raised a hand.  
  
"I know what you are trying to say, Michelangelo," Splinter said softly and gently. "And I will happily stow away in my room, while you and your charming friend are down here." He smiled, but his sons seemed to wince when he said 'stow away'. "Do not worry, my sons, I want you to be happy, and I want you to invite her for dinner. I do not mind in the slightest."  
  
Splinter was indeed happy for his sons. He beamed inside just because they had made one special friend. And Splinter could sense it. She was special, perhaps more so than they thought. It made Splinter happy, but it broke his heart. His sons would have to give her up to live back in their original lives.  
  
"Thank you Master Splinter!" Mikey said, bowing, then jumping up and whooping. "Hey, this is gunna be so great! We can get games out after dinner, put a few movies on, play charades or somat . . . !"  
  
While Mikey went on, Leo thought of something else. He turned to his Master, who had walked over and sat in his armchair, after Casey had moved from it and indicated Splinter to sit down.  
  
"Master, how will she get here again?" Leo asked. "We can't blindfold her again, I mean the first time was ridiculous."  
  
"No, my son, blindfolding is not an option," Splinter spoke wisely. "I can tell you that it is quite alright for her to know the route to April's apartment. Of course that has to be up to April to decide if she wants you young friend to know of her location. But blindfolding would be too suspicious for a second time, and would not be a polite way to invite a young lady to dinner." Splinter smiled.  
  
"So we can walk her here without blindfolding? Awesome!" Mikey said.  
  
"I still have doubts about this," Leo said quietly.  
  
"Clear your mind of worries and doubts," Splinter said. "I want you to have a pleasant evening."  
  
"Thank you!" Mikey said, pumping his arms in the air. He gave Donnie a high five. "Oh and I'm gunna be the cook! I gotta prepare - I wonder what she likes . . . I'll have a lookie at a couple of recipes, or Raph - you can ask her; and we could have candles!" He looked at April.  
  
"Mmm, I'll think about that one, Mikey," she said, suddenly having a metal image of her place on fire. But then another, more pleasant, image of Mikey and his Brothers, along with Prida, sat at the table, bathed in a beautiful candle light . . . I looked so nice she would have to hint to Casey about it.  
  
"Hey, guys, who gunna ask her . . . ?" Donnie asked, slightly quiet, but the question brought all heads his way. It was a simple question, but they all thought about it as though it were something very serious . . . they had never asked a girl to dinner.  
  
"I think Mikey," Raph said at once.  
  
"Whoa - wha' - why me?" He pointed to his chest.  
  
"Because you're the friendly one," Leo grinned.  
  
"You're the leader!" Mikey pointed to him.  
  
"Well, Donnie's the smart one, he knows the best way to ask her," Leo said, grinning, and pointing to Donnie, who, shy as he was, blanked. He wasn't afraid to ask her, but he wanted to see if this little argument got around all of his brothers before he would say he was going to ask her. It was fun seeing his brothers put in this awkward, but humorous, position.  
  
"Raph's her best friend," Donnie said quickly. "He knows her best!"  
  
"What?!" Raph turned to glance at his brother behind him. "But, I can't ask her . . ."  
  
"Why not?" Leo asked, grin widening. "Donnie's right."  
  
"Because . . . I can't ask her!" Raph said again.  
  
"Who votes Raph?!" Mikey asked, sticking his hand in the air.  
  
Leo, enjoying where this was going, happily put his hand in the air, laughing as Mikey, Donnie and April put their hand in the air. Casey, looking at the all, smirked and put his hand up too. Splinter shook his head, smiling.  
  
"What!" Raph looked at everyone, on the edge of his seat, looking like he was getting ready to run for it.  
  
"Go on Raph," Mikey said, putting his hand down with everyone else. "She IS YOUR friend, I mean, you two hang out more than you do with us."  
  
"Does he?" Casey asked, smirking again.  
  
Raph glanced angrily at him, before softening his expression on Mikey. "You're Mr Nice guy! You can tell her without . . . getting . . . embarrassed - Mikey you tell her!"  
  
"Alright!" Leo ended it there. "I'll tell her."  
  
Raph, even though he looked relieved, looked as though he had lost out on something as well.  
  
"I can't believe you guys are making such a big deal about this," Casey chuckled.  
  
"Yeah well I bet it took you some guts to ask April out," Raph retorted, sounding slightly sour.  
  
Casey chose not to answer, but was glad when Mikey switched on the TV to loosen up the tension.  
  
As the time went by, the guys, mostly Mikey, discussed what they would have to eat when Prida came round. April was amazed how they found it so exciting to have someone come around for dinner. When she was younger, she had quite a few friends around, and it didn't seem like such a big thing. But to the guys, it was. It was like their friendship will be made stronger when she comes round, and that it could never break after that. It was, as she mentally agreed with Splinter through their eyes, a treat to see them so happy.  
  
At a quarter past ten, everyone said goodnight to Casey, who said he should be going now.  
  
"Night Casey," April said, opening the door for him. He walked through and turned around to face her.  
  
"Good night," he said, and kissed her on the lips.  
  
"OoooooOOOoo!" The guys all chorused, then laughed.  
  
April smiled over her shoulder at them, then playfully shoved Casey all the way out the door. A few seconds after watching him down the corridor and down the stairs, she shut it.  
  
"Not a word," she said as soon as she turned around, holding her index finger up at the guys. They only grinned. "It's time you lot went to bed too."  
  
They groaned, but when Splinter agreed with April they got off their butts and stretched, ready to go.  
  
"Donnie, you sleeping down here again?" April asked, on the stairs about to go up.  
  
"Yeah, can't fit four upstairs in that room," he said, smiling. The couch was much comfier than the floor beds upstairs.  
  
"Aw, Donnie, you've been on that couch too long, let me on it tonight," Mikey said.  
  
"Hey, I haven't even been on it yet," Leo spoke up.  
  
"That's because you haven't been injured yet," Raph smirked. "I could arrange it for ya . . ."  
  
Leo gave him a look. "No thanks Raph. And I think Donnie still needs it for his side. It takes days to heal."  
  
"Thank you doctor L," Donnie grinned, and helped April, who was coming down the stairs, with the covers she was providing for him.  
  
Splinter retreated to his own room after saying good night to his sons, and them back. His door slammed shut softly and there was no more noise from his room.  
  
"Okay guys, upstairs to your rooms," April said, hands on Leo's shoulders, pushing him gently to the stairs.  
  
They all walked up the stairs, saying 'night' to Donnie, who was just getting comfy on the couch, smiling before the lights were turned off. On the landing, they said goodnight to April as she walked on to her room.  
  
"Mikey, you're sleeping over there this time," Raph said, pointing to the bottom on the row of three floor beds, where, if Mikey slept there, he was have either Raph or Leo's feet in his face.  
  
"Why?" Mikey asked, knowing what the answer was just after he had said it.  
  
"Because you roll," Leo answered. "Right onto us, and crush us."  
  
Mikey stuck out his lip, but took up the bottom of the beds after he was tossed his sheet and bedcover.  
  
After changing into their grey T-shirts and khaki shorts, they climbed into their beds.  
  
"Hey guys," Mikey called softly, afraid to disturb the silence of the apartment. "At least if you're forcing me to sleep here, put your socks on like me, it kinda muffles the smell."  
  
Raph and Leo rolled their eyes. They knew Mikey was joking, and heard him chuckle as he turned over and silenced, already on his way to sleep. A few seconds later, they knew he was, as his breathing slowed down and he ceased his movements.  
  
Raph listened, then, eyes on the ceiling, spoke.  
  
"Leo," he said very quietly.  
  
"Yeh," Leo grunted, eyes closed.  
  
Raph paused. "Well . . . um . . . I just wanted to . . . I was wondering . . . could I ask Prida?"  
  
Leo opened his eyes, looking at the ceiling. He could tell Raph wasn't looking at him. He was surprised Raph plucked up the courage to ask him. But he wasn't surprised that he did.  
  
"Sure Raph . . . sure . . ."  
  
Raph closed his eyes and smiled, then he fell asleep, while Leo turned around, grinning. Mikey snorted at his feet.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Thanks for the reviews, SFAM. Hope ya had a great xmas, I did! 


	29. Difficult question

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Wednesday was bright, clear and amazingly rainy. Everyone had gotten up early for some reason, all at once, and they didn't know what made them lift their sleepy heads off their pillows and go downstairs. Maybe they all decided they wanted another breakfast like the one yesterday, and Mikey was always willing to please his family.  
  
"Can we put some Cartoons on," Mikey asked, sat on the couch next to Raph and Donnie. "This is one of the few times I'm up early enough to actually watch them."  
  
Leo, who was sat on the floor with the remote, shrugged and changed channel, where it played a couple of kiddy cartoons.  
  
"Cool! I love this stuff!" Mikey exclaimed, and sat back comfortably. He might as well get comfortable; there was still an hour to go before they had to be in school.  
  
"Cuppa tea guys?" April called form the kitchen, after she had already supplied Splinter with his, who was sat in his armchair, smiling at Mikey.  
  
"Sure," they all answered together, and focused their gaze on the TV screen again.  
  
Chuckling, April turned back to the kettle, and a minute later was pouring it up. She handed Donnie and Leo's out first, then Mikey and Raph, who both downed it within seconds, sounding like horses drinking. Both burped together after they put their cups down on the floor, and Donnie looked sidelong at them, his nose wrinkled in slight disgust.  
  
"Hey, I'm starving," Raph suddenly said. "You gunna do anymore cooking this morning?" He nudged Mikey.  
  
"Nope," Mikey said, smiling, eyes still on the TV.  
  
"Why not?" Raph frowned at his brother, and Leo and Donnie looked at him.  
  
"Because we gotta save the food for our dinner tonight," Mikey grinned. "And I'm gunna buy some more stuff too, if that's okay Leo . . . It's your money, heh?"  
  
"I guess, since it's for a good cause," Leo said, smiling and turning back to the TV.  
  
In what felt like a few minutes later, April looked at the clock on the wall and yelped. He guys all turned to look at her.  
  
"Guys! Its twenty to nine!" She said, pointing at the clock.  
  
They all turned their heads from her to look at the clock. Then they turned around to face each other.  
  
"Ut oh," Mikey said, and they all jumped to their feet and dived upstairs.  
  
Splinter chuckled as bangs could be heard, then April took the stairs two at a time to get ready. She had to drive the guys there.  
  
Two minutes later, everyone came thundering down the stairs half ready. Leo and Donnie got to the bottom, and stared at each other.  
  
"Bandannas!" They said, before running back upstairs, just as Raph and Mikey jumped down, and stared at each other.  
  
"Sneakers!" They bother said, and dashed back upstairs, as April jogged down the stairs along with Donnie now wearing his bandanna, who pointed at her messy hair and she at his.  
  
"Comb!" They both shouted, and ran back upstairs.  
  
Splinter shook his head and let out a quiet laugh.  
  
"Guys c'mon! What are you all messing about at - let's go!" April's voice could be heard from upstairs. "Argh! My watch!" She added rushing back into her room, while the guys groaned.  
  
//  
  
Another two minutes later and they were all packed into the car. Donnie was in the front again, and strapped in his safety belt before April could start the car.  
  
"Erm, April," Donnie said gingerly. "Could you not go as wild as you did the other time you were behind the wheel?"  
  
"Donnie, I don't go mad, I just go that little bit faster to get you to school," April said.  
  
A minute later her car pulled up outside school, and the guys got out, all clutching their heads or stomachs. They had all banged their head at least twice, and now Raph and Donnie, who got car sick, were looking pale.  
  
"Let's -" Leo began, but swallowed, trying to feel normal again. "- get going."  
  
They all rushed into school, nearly knocking a few younger kids over when the rounded a corner fast. They made it to their form room just as their tutor was taking the register.  
  
"Danny . . . ? Donnie . . . ?" Their tutor read, still looking down  
  
"Sir," a puffed out Donnie said, glad he was just in time. Their tutor didn't even look up, but continued to read the register.  
  
"Man, close one," Mikey muttered as they quickly took their seats. "Hey Leo, you'll be seeing Prida next won't ya? You can ask her to come to dinner then."  
  
Leo smiled. "Okay, see if I remember." He glanced at Raph, who was looking at the wall.  
  
Next class was Art for Mikey, Geography for Donnie, and PE Theory for Leo and Raph, and as soon as the bell went a minute later, they all took off together, walking to Mikey's room first, which was on their way to their other classes.  
  
"Hey Donnie, don't forget to say yes to those girls for the disco," Mikey grinned as he disappeared into his Art Room. Donnie went red.  
  
"You're going aren't ya?" Leo asked Don as they moved along the corridors.  
  
Donnie didn't answer straight away. "Well . . . er, yeah I guess, could be fun."  
  
Leo smiled and looked at Raph, asking him the same.  
  
"Dunno," was the reply.  
  
Both Leo and Donnie turned around looked at him, frowning.  
  
"Hey, if we're all going you gotta come too," Leo said, more of an order, but with a smile. "Prida's going . . ." Leo added, grinning.  
  
"Yeah, c'mon it'll be fun, we've never been to a disco with other humans before," Donnie said, smiling.  
  
"Other humans? What are you, Aliens?"  
  
All three turned around to a familiar voice: Prida was right behind them, smiling. She waved as they stared at her.  
  
"Oh, look, my room," Donnie said, and waved bye, disappearing.  
  
"Hey," Leo greeted Prida.  
  
"Hi, so you're all going to the disco then?" Prida asked.  
  
"Yeah, most of us," Leo looked at Raph, pointedly.  
  
"You're not going?" Prida asked him.  
  
"I dunno," Raph shrugged. They were waking across the field now, making their way to the Sports Centre.  
  
"Oh, well, your brother said before that you don't go to many, so you ought to, lighten you up," Prida grinned.  
  
Raph smiled and glanced at Leo who smiled. Prida looked away and frowned, replaying Donnie sentence in her head. ' . . . We've never been to a disco with other humans before . . . '  
  
//  
  
Leo spent the entire PE Theory class either listening or talking to Roxanne and Prida. Their class was mixed and they were sent to a room to do some written work; something was going on in the gym so they couldn't use it. No one did any work because they had a substitute taking the class, and he didn't really nag at them to get on with work. The topic all through the class was mostly the upcoming disco. Leo certainly heard it a lot from Roxanne's friends, who were giggly and annoying, and even Roxanne seemed to look at Leo with apologetic embarrassment. Her friends soon started their own little huddle, chattering about some really cute guy they wanted to take to the disco.  
  
At last the bell rang and Leo slumped his shoulders in relief; he was glad to get out of the stifling hot room and away from those giggling girls. It amazed Leo how totally different Prida was to the normal tarts around Vinilla High.  
  
Though as he left the room with Prida and Raph, who wasn't too happy about leaving it to go to French, which was only bearable because Donnie gave them all the answers before they could look like fools in front of the whole class.  
  
"Yo Leo," Don said, quickly steering Leo slightly out of ear range of Prida, who took her seat along with Raph. "Did ya ask her yet?"  
  
"Er, no, not yet, Don," Leo said, rolling his eyes. Why did HE agree to ask Prida? Not that he was, but if he just pinned it on Raph then his brothers wouldn't dare keep bothering HIM.  
  
French was just the same as any other French class. Donnie of course received praise and a surprised expression from the teacher, who had never met a student as good as herself at French; and envious glances from other members of the class, all heard Donnie talking in long sentences in French. Donnie didn't realise people were listening until he saw them staring at him, then he shut up after that, despite the fact that the teacher tried to hold French conversations with him.  
  
All of the class was glad when the bell rang for break, including Donnie who was not enjoying the envious looks and the nagging of the teacher to talk. He moved out quicker than his brothers.  
  
"You know," Donnie sighed when they caught up with him outside the French Block. "Sometimes it pays to be a smart dude."  
  
"Yeah, but you handle it well, Donnie-boy," Mikey grinned, resting his hand on Donnie's shoulder.  
  
"Yeah, also, it's rare to find someone like you around," Prida smiled, pulling thin strands of hair out of her mouth and tossing it behind her shoulders. The strong wind that had picked up was making her clothes cling to her, and Donnie got a small glance at her amazingly slim figure. Her black, baggy top and her cotton blue pants tugged behind her as she walked.  
  
"Man is it windy?" Mikey said, looking at the people walking the opposite way to them, trying to keep their hair under control. "And man am I starving!"  
  
"You're always hungry," Leo moaned.  
  
"Not tonight though, eh?!" Mikey said, winking and nudging Leo with his elbow. Leo rolled his eyes again. Prida frowned, smiling, but dismissed it.  
  
//  
  
Maths class was, just like French, the same as it always was. Leo found it interesting to see how he and his brothers were adapting to this new routine. It was so normal now, he was beginning to forget what it was like down in the sewers where they sometime woke up to a deep drop in temperature, and were all too cold or sedative to do any practising, and would have to wait for Donnie's boiler to kick in. Or sometimes it would be too warm, and they lost more fluids than they drank. Without realising, Leo had a small smile on his face as he remembered how his brothers used to slip sometimes on the kitchen floor because of their sweat. That only happened two or three times, Donnie had fixed their problem.  
  
"Hey Leo, you okay?"  
  
Leo's smile wiped as he shook himself back to reality. He looked at Prida, who was watching him, smiling.  
  
"What?" He asked, frowning.  
  
She chuckled. "I asked if you were okay? You looked a little out of it."  
  
"Nah, I'm good, I'm fine," Leo assured her. He realised that if he did have to ask Prida, now would have been a good time; but no, Raph wanted the honours. Leo couldn't blame him, they were close friends and Leo knew that meant something special to Raph, who had never bonded well with any strangers, except April and Casey. Then he reminded himself of who there was to bond with. Well, Raph wasn't the bondy sort of guy.  
  
As the bell went for the third time that day, Leo wondered just when was Raph going to ask Prida. It couldn't be next class, Biology, because they were all together and Leo was sure Raph didn't have the guts to do it in front of his brothers.  
  
"Don't even ask, Mikey," Leo said, holding a hand up to him, just as Mikey drew breath to ask Leo if he had asked Prida. They all sat down in their seats for Biology.  
  
()()()()  
  
"Oh man, at last, I don't think I can take any more of this topic," Mikey groaned as the bell went, signalling Lunchtime. "Okay, it's always good to get to the canteen before it starts getting crowded, I'm running, you coming Raph?"  
  
"Nah, I'm gunna slow it down," Raph answered.  
  
"Why? Aren't you hungry? C'mon the food and tables'll be taken!"  
  
"Mikey, Raph's leg's playing up, you go grab a table," Leo cut into the conversation, glancing meaningfully at Raph.  
  
"Okay, stomach lead the way!" Mikey said, and zoomed off.  
  
"C'mon Don," Leo said, tapping his bro on the arm. The two jogged after him.  
  
"Man, I've never seem 'em so hungry," Prida laughed. "Is your leg alright? I heard you took a nasty scrape."  
  
"How did you know?" Raph asked, hoping whichever one of his brothers hadn't said anymore.  
  
"Mikey told me."  
  
"Oh, well, er, listen," Raph slowed his pace, and Prida joined him. "Me and the others were, ya know, er, grateful for that dinner your sister cooked for us . . ."  
  
"Oh that's okay, she enjoyed having company, it's not often she gets to cook for more than me, her and Korey. She's pretty thankful."  
  
"Oh, well, that's good then - but me and the guys were just wondering if . . . you . . . wanted to . . . join US . . . for dinner, tonight . . ." Raph bit his lip, and hoped that he hadn't already gone red.  
  
Prida looked at him and slowly grinned, showing her perfect teeth. They both unconsciously stopped in the corridor, facing each other.  
  
"That'd be great," she said quietly, as though no one had ever asked her such a question.  
  
The dread inside Raph disappeared instantly and his face split into a grin.  
  
"Cool," he said. "No blindfold." He grinned, assuring her she wouldn't have to walk blindly again.  
  
She grinned and they both set off down the corridor to the canteen. For the first time in a long time Raph hadn't smiled so truly.  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
Hehe, you gotta wait now for the dinner. I thought I'd leave it there other wise it would have gotten too long. Thanks for your reviews, I'll try and get the next chapter up sooner than this one took. Thanks again ;)!  
  
(Added that end bit about the blindfold - it had to go in somewhere! Sorry I missed it, and SFAM) 


	30. Return Dinner

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
"Hey guys, is that all you're eating?" Mikey sat down at the table with a whole tray piled high with food, just for him. He looked at Leo and Donny's small meal.  
  
"We don't have The Never-ending Stomach like you do," Donny smiled, and took a bite from his pizza, just as Raph and Prida came through the cantina doors.  
  
"Man, all the food here and you don't take advantage of that?" Mikey said. "I mean, we got here early, so all the best looking pies and things are waiting to be taken, you might as well take 'em while they're there." Mikey bit into his pizza, smiling.  
  
"Hey guys," Leo said, smiling at Raph as he and Prida sat themselves down. Leo pushed over a soda for Raph, and a slice of pizza he got for him.  
  
"Man, are you sure your leg's alright?" Donny asked, frowning at Raph while taking a sip from his can of coke. "I mean, that was pretty slow, maybe you ought to go back to the hospital -"  
  
"I don't think so," Raph interrupted, eyes narrowing at the word 'hospital'. He shuddered inwardly.  
  
Donny shrugged. "Suit yourself."  
  
"Whoa Mikey," Prida gawked when she saw Mike's tray. "How the hell can you eat all that?"  
  
"Easy, I put it in my mouth - like so," Mikey stuffed a pizza crust in his mouth. "And I perform an amazing disappearing act." He closed his mouth and a second later he swallowed it, smiling and reaching for his next snack.  
  
"You pig," Raph insulted, picking up his soda.  
  
"Yeah, Mikey the amazing Magician," Donny smiled. "Show him any type of food and he'll make it disappear - very quickly."  
  
They all chuckled, and were joined at that moment by Matt, TJ and Tyson.  
  
"Hey, guys, s'ok if we sit with ya?" Tyson asked, bringing up a seat anyway.  
  
"Sure, asking never stopped you before," Donny grinned, and Tyson smiled and went to grab some food. He had to wait in the queue that had now grown. Mikey once again pointed out how they got here early and grabbed the best grub.  
  
"Is that all you think about - food?" Prida laughed, taking the drink Donny was offering her.  
  
"Twenty-three seven," Mikey replied happily.  
  
"What do you think about in the other hour?"  
  
"TV," he grinned, and slurped on his drink.  
  
Prida suddenly remembered her manners, polite as she was. "Oh guys," she said, smiling. "Thanks for -"  
  
But Raph suddenly looked as though someone had shot him. He quickly gave her a look that plainly said 'shut up!' Leo saw this.  
  
"- er, thanks for coming to that dinner," Prida made up quickly, even though she had already thanked them.  
  
"No need to thank us again, we're thankful we came too!" Mikey said, grinning with food halfway to his mouth.  
  
Prida smiled at them and glanced at Raph, who looked as though he had just met Death and escaped: Relieved. He smiled at her, and she realized how embarrassed he would have got. He kept his cool though, and his usual expression returned.  
  
"Leo," Mikey moaned quietly as babbled broke out on the table. "When are ya gonna ask her?"  
  
"Oh I already did," Leo said casually, taking a gulp from his drink.  
  
"What? But you said -"  
  
"So what I said. You keep badgering me, I asked her in Math class."  
  
"Whaddid she say?"  
  
"What did who say?" Matt asked, and everyone else looked at them. Mikey, for once, went ever so slightly red.  
  
"Oh, that we invited Prida to dinner tonight," Leo said, straight out.  
  
Everyone looked at her, and she smiled, catching on what her friends were up to.  
  
"And I said I'd love to come," Prida shrugged, smiling and raising her eyebrows slightly to Leo, who wiggled his eyebrows once at her.  
  
Tyson and Matt, along with a more talkative TJ quickly demanded details, and soon everyone was talking in their own conversation. Amazing Mikey, who talked more than anyone on the table, still managed to eat all of his food, which was way more than anyone else had.  
  
Half way through their dinnertime, they decided to leave the cantina and have a walk around the school grounds. Just as they were getting up from the table, Mikey quickly ran over and joined the queue again.  
  
Yelling at him that they were going to wait outside, the rest left the cantina and waited outside the door. A few minutes later Mikey appeared with a cornflake tart, smiling.  
  
"Man, didn't they feed you guys at LA?" Prida laughed. They all started walking slowly. "I mean, its incredible how you eat and eat and you just don't seem to put on weight or get fat . . . what's the secret?"  
  
"No secret," Mikey said through a mouthful of tart. "I just don't have a fat gene, heh."  
  
Prida shook her head, smiling. "I wish I didn't."  
  
Donny frowned at that and was about to say 'but you're not even fat', but stopped himself. Maybe Prida didn't want people gawking at her figure, and Donny wasn't about to let on that he saw.  
  
After a fifteen-minute walk around the whole school, they decided a visit to the Music Room was in order. Mrs. Smallwood was happy to see them, and kindly let them listen to some music on her stereo as they stayed in there and kept an eye on the room, while she went to grab some late lunch.  
  
While Tyson and Matt, along with Amba Jasins, who joined the group, discussed their own topics, Prida turned in her seat in the table to the guys, who all had their feet on chairs.  
  
"So who's cooking tonight?" She asked happily with a smile.  
  
"I will be," Mikey smiled. "No idea what you like, which is why April's gonna get some food when she gets her lunch break. I hope she is anyway, she asked her to in the car."  
  
"Are you sure it's okay with your Aunt?" Prida asked.  
  
"Sure! She thought it was a great idea. Well, actually she came up with it."  
  
"Cool, I really wanna thank you for inviting me, I don't get invited to many dinners," she gave a short, nervous laugh.  
  
"No sweat, dudette, we gotta return the favor somehow."  
  
"Yeah but I was returning the favor to YOU, for saving me, it's just gonna keep going in circles," she said, grinning.  
  
"Well, it wasn't actually US that saved you," Leo said. "It was really just Raph."  
  
"We tried though," Donny put in. "That teacher stopped us."  
  
"Well, whatever, your all my friends, and I guess in a way you all saved me - from Tooks many times."  
  
()()()()  
  
After dinner, everyone departed for the next class, which was English for the guys. As they were walking, Leo suggested that tomorrow they should do something to keep them in shape, while being at school. He suggested they ask someone if they could use the gym to practice in, seeing as how April wouldn't let them practice in her apartment, and they had no where else to go.  
  
"But what about after school?" Mikey asked as they walked towards the English block.  
  
"Well, I was thinking at lunchtime," Leo shrugged. "I thought maybe Prida could join us; we have PE Theory tomorrow so she should bring her kit, it'll be fun guys."  
  
"But what about dinner?!" Mikey said, looking horrified at the thought of missing dinner to use the gym.  
  
"We'll grab a quick bite to eat, or bring something with us," Leo said. He sounded like he had made his mind, and only Mikey was against losing tomorrows slice of pizza. He was outvoted though.  
  
When they got to class, they saw Prida was already seated, and that boy who had asked her to the nightclub was there again. He sighed and took off back to his seat before the guys got there.  
  
"Some people don't take 'no' for an answer," Prida shook her head.  
  
The four bros took a seat and asked her what was up. She told them, rolling her eyes.  
  
"Prida, will you come to the disco? Please!" Mikey said, grinning.  
  
"Mikey! Do you understand what 'no' means?" Prida laughed.  
  
Mikey shook his head. "Nope, only 'yes'."  
  
Prida rolled her eyes, and the class silenced as the teacher announced that tomorrow everyone should have had their draft copy of the Macbeth Essay. Everyone groaned, while Mikey and Raph shot each other confused wide- eyes.  
  
"Oh cool, something to properly write about," Donny said, smiling. But when Prida and his brothers' head turned towards him frowning, his smile vanished.  
  
"I meant - that we don't have . . . anything good to write about in this class - and that this at least demands more attention - not that I wanted to write it - I mean that, there's finally something that isn't too easy - er -"  
  
"Donny, admit you just like this," Mikey said, rolling his eyes. Everyone except Donny chuckled, while he just put his head down.  
  
Near the end of the class, five minutes before the bell when everyone was just writing down the last of their notes what they should use in their essay, Leo called over the noise to Prida.  
  
"Hey, Prida, do you wanna use the gym tomorrow, with us?" He asked. "We were gonna bring something to eat from home, we figured we need to keep I shape."  
  
Prida stared, and raised her eyebrows. "You guys need to keep in shape? I thought you were already in shape," she glanced at their arms, " from what I gathered."  
  
"Yeah - well, we still need to exercise," Leo said.  
  
"Okay then, sure," Prida smiled.  
  
"Oh dudette, we'll meet ya at the lockers at the end of school, right?" Mikey said as the bell went.  
  
"Okay," Prida nodded, trying to keep her smile from spreading to a wide grin.  
  
//  
  
So, as usual when waiting for the end of the school day to come because something fun is happening at the end, the guys' Business Studies class went much too slow.  
  
"Man, how long have we got left?" Mikey moaned, tugging on Donny shirtsleeve.  
  
"Twenty minutes, Mikey," Donny said, not even looking at his watch. He had just looked at it a minute ago.  
  
"Oh man . . . " Mikey groaned, and then brightened up. "Hey Raph did ya ask Prida what she likes to eat?"  
  
"Oops, forgot," Raph said in an unbothered tone.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm sure you can cook something she'll like," Donny assured him. "Though don't over-do it, we don't want her poisoned."  
  
Mikey frowned. "I don't poison people!"  
  
"You poisoned all of us at one point, about two years ago!" Leo reminded him.  
  
"It was an accident, I didn't mean to knock the bug spray in your breakfasts."  
  
After being told to shut up by the teacher because they were making too much noise, the guys went back to being bored and quiet. Though twenty minutes later Mikey jumped out of his seat when the bell rang and whooped.  
  
"Alright, let's meet Pri at the lockers!" Mikey said. He seemed the most excited about this dinner, but then he was the one who was going to be feeding and receiving praise for his food. Having a friend who wasn't older than they were around to share a dinner was pretty new.  
  
As they waked towards the lockers, they couldn't see Prida yet, so they waited there for a few minutes, talking to people as they went home. Prida dashed down the corridor a few minutes after.  
  
"Sorry guys," she panted. "I had to use the office phone to call Mai and tell her I'll be at your place again."  
  
"That's okay, let's go then," Mikey grinned, which seemed contagious because Prida found the same wide grin on her face. She hadn't ever really been invited to a dinner, some of her friends at school were really nice, but they never offered because she and they considered her to be a loner. She was pretty happy about it.  
  
They walked out of school, and made their way opposite to the direction Prida usually takes.  
  
"So . . . does April trust me enough to let me know where she lives?" Prida asked.  
  
"Sure! Saw you that first time and knew you were an angel," Mikey grinned. Prida laughed.  
  
It took a little longer to walk home than usual, but since they spoke a lot, it seemed to automatically slow their walking pace. The wind was still as fierce as ever, and it blew bits from the road and threw them at their skin. By the time they rounded the corner the April's apartment, they were all rubbing sore arms and cheeks.  
  
"Let's hope Splin - er - April's got that fire going," Donny said, glancing at Leo, who raised his eyebrows in a warning.  
  
They raced up the stairs, with Prida in the middle of them, and walked down the small hallway to April's door. They had all agreed, along with Splinter, that he would remain upstairs all night, supplied with food and drink of course. And there was a TV in Ape's room, so he was well off.  
  
Mikey opened the door, and let Prida in first. "Welcome again to the home of weird," he joked, raising his voice only so loud enough to let Splinter know they had returned.  
  
"Well, can't be more weird than having purple eyes," Prida muttered to herself. "When is your Aunt gonna get in?"  
  
"Oh she'll be back soon, she's gonna see if she can get home a little earlier from work tonight," Leo said. "Said she wants to have a proper chat with ya -"  
  
"And that she wants to save you from us," Mikey added, grinning and shutting the door after Donny. He then gestured the couch. "Take a seat Prida, we got a movie if ya wanna watch it, or a game - I wanted to play pin the shell on Raph, but I don't think he'll lemme." Mikey grinned.  
  
"Mikey - kitchen - now!" Leo ordered, staring at his brother, and pointing to the kitchen.  
  
"Oh, right, okay," Mike said, and dashed into the kitchen area. "No idea what you like, but then I just mash stuff together and it usually works!" He called back to Prida.  
  
Leo turned to Prida, who was sat comfortably on the couch. "Don't worry, he makes it sound gross, but he makes good stuff really."  
  
"Thanks Leo, but really, don't exaggerate," Mikey joked sarcastically, checking the brown paper bags that April had left on the side, and taking some of the things out; considering them.  
  
"What movies ya got?" Prida asked.  
  
"Oh, I'll go get em!" Mikey said, about to dash out of the kitchen, but Leo stopped him.  
  
"I'll get them, you just think about what you're gonna cook," Leo said firmly. He turned to Prida as Mikey stayed put. "He has to concentrate on what he's cooking, otherwise he overdoes it and either poisons us or stuffs us bloated." He joked. Then he disappeared upstairs, before getting the videos he made his way to April's room, where Splinter was.  
  
Back downstairs Mikey was muttering to himself about what should be used, while Donny took a seat next to Prida, asking if she wanted a drink, and Raph was busy with the VCR, ejecting the Terminator video.  
  
"Hey Mike, wanna make two milkshakes?" Donny called over to him. "Hey Raph, wanna milkshake?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
"Make that three milkshakes, Mikey," Donny called, then got up and walked over to the other part of the apartment where the table was, and the other TV, behind the stairs and down a lower platform. He smiled as he looked at what April had laid out on the table for them: There were a few little, pretty purple candles on the table, the silverware and dishes had been laid out and there was an extra chair. He didn't have to set the table; Ape had already done it. She really wanted them to have a great dinner. Overdone it a bit with the candles, but it was nice nonetheless. Donny took two candles off the table, he really didn't want it to seem like a romantic evening.  
  
"Hey, never mind Mike, I'll do the drinks," Donny said, walking into the kitchen.  
  
"Good, I thought for a minute I was a slave, who is tortured by his evil brothers to serve them and do thy biding," Mikey grinned. Prida laughed.  
  
Leo came down the stairs at that minute with an armload of videos. He dumped them on the couch next to Prida, and started picking them up and reading them out to Mikey as well as the others.  
  
"Ghostbusters . . ." Leo picked up the first one.  
  
"Mm . . . nah," Mikey called from the kitchen.  
  
"Hey, you're not the guest here Mikey, you just shut up, Prida picks," Raph called.  
  
"Thanks, but that's okay, I'm, happy to watch what you guys pick out," she said, smiling and tucking her feet under her on the couch.  
  
"Okay, Commando, with Arnold whazis name - Terminator dude," Leo said.  
  
"Nah," Mikey said again, now looking at the wok, the frying pan and the saucepan, trying to decide which to use for this special dinner.  
  
"Star Wars, Shrek, Buried Alive, The Mummy, The Mummy Return, The Running Man, Total Recall, Fright Night -"  
  
"Fright Night?" Mikey looked up. "What was that about?"  
  
"Oh I've seen that," Prida smiled. "This vampire moves in next door to this teenager, who knows what he is, and it's all about how the vamp interferes with his life by making his best friend and girlfriend vampires and blah de blah. It's good, old but good."  
  
"You've seen it Mike, you just can't remember," Leo said.  
  
"Yeah I can dude, it had that cool music on when she was been bitten, yeah, I think it was called Come to Me, it was cool."  
  
"Wannit on or not?" Leo asked, waving the video.  
  
"Put it to one side, and if he doesn't hear anything else good we'll have that on," Donny said. He looked at Prida. "Mike's kinda out video- chooser. Unless it's something the rest of us don't like, we choose."  
  
Prida chortled. "Sounds like my house. I get to choose what goes on, too."  
  
After the first lot of videos, Leo went back upstairs for some more, and then Raph went to get the third lot after that. Mikey finally decided he wanted The Relic on, with the lights off. Prida said she hadn't seen the movie before, so the guys didn't agree with Mikey at first, but he said it was a little horror film, pretty silly, and she agreed.  
  
Leo tossed the video to Raph, who was crouched by the TV again.  
  
"One Relic, coming up," Raph said, and popped the tape in the VCR. Donny switched the lights off, and sat down the couch, Leo sat next to Prida and Donny, and Raph sat on the floor, leaning against the couch. The only light was from the TV and a small battery powered one in the kitchen for Mikey to see what ingredients he was adding.  
  
As the film started, Prida leaned over to Leo a bit.  
  
"Is your Aunt gonna eat with us too?" She asked, eyes on the TV.  
  
"Yeah, if that's okay with you?" Leo said. "She said she didn't want to butt in, but, you know, we said she could anyway, it's kinda her place."  
  
"Great by me, I'd love to talk to her," Prida smiled, and sat back. It would be nice to speak with a news reporter.  
  
Half way through the movie, when some guy was having his head forcibly pulled off his neck by the monster, the apartment door opened slowly, creaking ever so slightly, and everyone looked at it. Then April's head glanced around it, and she smiled.  
  
"Didn't want to burst in," she said, apologetically. Everyone let out their breaths.  
  
"Hey Ape, how'd work go?" Mikey said, behind the brown paper bags on the counter.  
  
"Good, thanks, Mikey," April shut the door and kicked off her shoes, and then hung up her coat. She turned to the couch. "Hi Prida, how are you?"  
  
"I'm great, thanks Miss O'Neil," Prida said, trying to sound as nice as she could. She didn't meet new people very often, so she didn't know if she had good people skills.  
  
"Oh, call me April. I hope they haven't been wild, they usually are," she said, grinning at the guys.  
  
Prida laughed. "They only threatened me that if I wouldn't come they would they would have to beat me up tomorrow."  
  
"Hey - we never!" Donny and Leo said, smiling and throwing pillows at her. She got lost in an avalanche of tassels and cushions.  
  
"Hey, well guys, don't smoother our guest to death, she's still got to try Mike's cooking," April chuckled, and dropped her bag by the stairs. She turned around when she heard the TV scream. "Are they trying to scare you now? By putting on this movie?"  
  
"This ain't scary!" Mikey said, now stirring the contents of the wok, which was sizzling away. There was no smell yet, so they didn't have an idea of what it was going to taste like.  
  
"You got something against us?" Raph asked, smirking.  
  
"No, of course not," April said, walking past Raph and messing up his hair. "You're my favorite nephews."  
  
"We're your ONLY nephews," Mikey said, smiling. April grinned back and walked over to the table to set the candles. It looked beautiful with the lights off, and she wondered why she was making it like this for the guys. Was it a little over the top? Oh well, it's pretty, they're grateful, she's happy.  
  
It was just when the movie finished that Mikey finished cooking the dinner, and shooed everyone to the table, hoping the movie's ridiculous gore had not taken away their appetite. As they were sitting down, with Leo next to Donny, who was next to April, who would be next to Mikey, who was next to Raph, who was next to Prida, who then was near Leo; Prida turned to April.  
  
"I wanna thank you for inviting me to dinner," she said.  
  
"It's okay, I'm happy to have someone who isn't identical to talk to," April said, smiling. Prida grinned.  
  
"Prida keeps saying thank you," Mikey whined, jokingly. "It must be a disease."  
  
"She knows manner, unlike you lot," April said to them. But they were all now agreeing with each other how it must be an illness. April and Pride tittered.  
  
Mikey served his cooking, which smelled excellent, but looked . . .  
  
"Gross?" Raph said, glancing at his brothers with his nose pulled up in slight disgust.  
  
"C'mon, that's not nice," April said, and Mikey beamed. "You know all of Mikey's cooking looks gross." Mikey's stopped smiling and pouted. "But it always tastes much better than it looks." Mikey thought this time before he grinned again.  
  
Raph looked at Prida. "You're the guest, you have the honor of digging in first!"  
  
"Raph!" April and Leo both said.  
  
Prida grinned. "I've eating things that look alive before, done by my sister, I'm sure I'll love it." With that she tucked in.  
  
With disgusted looks form the rest of them, except Mikey, they all hastily took a small bite, but were soon eating it quite happily, commenting that it was great, which it was. Even Prida said her sister should trade recipes with Mikey, who grinned.  
  
"Told ya it was good," he said.  
  
"How would you know though, you never eat it until we do," Raph said, elbowing him.  
  
"Well I can't exactly say 'its disgusting don't eat it', what kinda chef would I be then?"  
  
"An honest one?" Donny smiled. The dim light from the candles and the darkness behind him lit up his handsome face, as it did all of their faces.  
  
As they finished their dinner, and as April and Prida started chatting, Mikey announced that he had cooked a little after dinner stuff, and came back with a pudding of some sort. It actually looked nice for once, and it was sweet and filling.  
  
"That was great Mikey," Prida said as she put her knife and fork down on one side of her plate. She looked amazingly pretty in just the light from the candles, which really showed a glint of the purple in her eyes.  
  
"Fright Night movie now?" Mikey asked.  
  
"Fright Night," they all agreed.  
  
"Hey, careful with the video, it's old," April called after them as she remained to clean up the plates. Prida stopped and helped her. "Hey, let me do these, you go sit down."  
  
"Are you sure?" Prida asked, stacking two plates on top of each other.  
  
"Yeah, sure, go on," April said, taking the plates.  
  
Prida thanked her and walked over to where the guys were finding the Fright Night tape. Mikey shoved it in, and sat down on the couch with Leo and Donny, while Raph took the floor again, leaning against Donny's legs.  
  
"Hey, one of yous get up, Prida has to sit down," Raph put his head back and looked at his brothers.  
  
Mikey and Donny were about to get up, but Prida stopped them.  
  
"No, it's okay," she said, and sat down on the floor next to Raph. "You guys stay there."  
  
With the lights still off, the glow from only the TV made them all drowsy, but no one said anything. When one bit of the movie came on, where Amy, Charlie's girlfriend (the teenager) gets bitten, Mikey turned up the volume as the music in the background started. His brothers looked at him.  
  
"What? I like this music, it's mystical," he said, shrugging.  
  
Almost to the end of the film, Raph felt something on his shoulder and he looked to see Prida snoozing peacefully on him. He glanced about, not knowing what to do with her, but tapped Leo on the leg.  
  
"Oy, Leo, er, I think she's asleep," Raph said quietly.  
  
"Dude, what did you put in that food?" Donny asked Mikey.  
  
"I didn't poison her!" Mikey moaned. "I hope not anyway . . . Should we wake her?"  
  
"No, that's not nice, she's probably exhausted," Donny said.  
  
"I would be too if I forced myself to eat Mikey's cooking for the first time," Raph said, pushing Prida back into a sitting position and trying to get her to stay as she kept sliding against the couch to him.  
  
"Well, Mai has our telephone number," Leo said. "If she phones back before Prida wakes we'll tell her she's asleep and Mai will probably come pick her up."  
  
"Okay," they all agreed and their eyes returned to the TV.  
  
A few minutes later April came downstairs, having just seen how Master Splinter was, and if he wanted anything, she found all the guys on the floor against the couch, and Prida laid out asleep on the cushions, her head propped comfortably on two pillows. April shook her head, smiling, and went to get the spare duvet cover Donny uses to put over her. The guys didn't even hear her when she laid it on Prida, but when the corner touched Mikey's ear, he nearly jumped out of his skin, and April grinned and placed a finger over her lips. Mikey clutched his heart and sat back down, smiling.  
  
()()()()  
  
After the film, and another after that, the phone rang and April picked it up. She spoke for a few seconds, gave directions to her house, then put it down and whispered that Mai was on her way to collect Prida. The guys nodded, and ten minutes later there was a quiet knock on the door.  
  
April walked over and opened it, showing Mai and Korey.  
  
"Hi," April said politely as Mai did the same, then Korey. They shook hands, introduced themselves, and April let them in, leaving the door open. Mai saw her little sister on the couch, and the guys on the floor leaning against it. They looked up and gave a wave and a smile.  
  
"I am sorry," Mai said, meaning Prida lounging about on the couch. "I hope she wasn't too much trouble."  
  
"No, she was great, lovely girl," April said, smiling.  
  
Mai turned to the bros. "Hi guys," she said, walking over to Prida. They all chorused a 'yo' back.  
  
"Yo!" Korey grinned, and slapped Mikey a high five, who was on the end. "Well, thanks for having her, it got the little pest outta our hair."  
  
"Korey," Mai said, smiling.  
  
Korey picked Prida up gently and the duvet fell onto the guys. "Oops, sorry guys," he grinned, and walked over to the door with his little sister- in-law.  
  
"Thank you so much," Mai said again.  
  
April commented on where Prida must have got her continuous manners from, and Mai laughed. They soon said bye and took Prida to the car. April closed the door and turned back to the guys, who were looking at her.  
  
"Have fun then?" April asked, smiling.  
  
"Yeah, definitely," they all smiled.  
  
"Yeah, can we do it again sometime?" Mikey grinned. 


	31. Basketball Match!

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
"Alright - hey Mike, don't forget your kit," Leo reminded his brother, for their lunchtime of exercise hopefully today.  
  
It was Thursday morning, and again the guys were late, though not as much as yesterday. They had made sure that they were at least earlier so that April didn't go mad at the steering wheel again. They didn't want a repeat of yesterday.  
  
"Donny - hurry!" Leo shouted up the stairs with a sort of suggesting tone, really hoping that they wouldn't be late. He still had a small bruise on his head from where he was knocked against the window when April made a tight corner, and Raph and Mikey had rammed into him, causing him to hit his head again. Leo called up to his brother again to hurry up.  
  
Donny came hopping down the stairs, trying to shove his black, purple- toed socks on.  
  
"I'm ready!" He said, tripping down the last step, and landing on Mikey who was just passing to grab his rucksack.  
  
"Ow Donny, watch the foot, it's still painful," Mikey warned his brother.  
  
"Mikey? Kit?" Leo asked, bag already on his shoulder, sneakers already on his feet.  
  
"Yes! I got it Leo!" Mikey yelled underneath Donny, who was sat on Mikey, now pulling his sock on much easier.  
  
"Where's Raph?!" Leo said.  
  
"I'm here," Raph said, stood behind him, ready as well for once.  
  
Mikey was now tapping his fingers on the floor, his head in the other hand, waiting for Donny to move so he could get up.  
  
"Done," Donny said, and jumped up. "Hey, after three weeks I'm still a little clumsy with socks."  
  
"Yeah well I ain't got a shell or plastron any more," Mikey complained, rubbing his back, "so don't sit on me again. I could feel my ribcage."  
  
His brothers shook their heads, and Splinter appeared from his room, smiling having just heard. He waked over to the kitchen where he started to make his usual tea, after saying good morning to his sons, and having it said back.  
  
"Okay guys," April said, jogging down the stairs, all ready for work. "You ready?" She hurried about getting her bag ready, and grabbing something from the kitchen to eat at work.  
  
"Did you enjoy your evening yesterday?" Splinter asked his sons, picking up his warm mug and taking it to his chair.  
  
"Yeah, thanks Master," Mikey said, his enthusiasm back. "It was great - we watched a few films, then I did dinner, and then Prida fell asleep and her sister picked her up -"  
  
"Okay, Mikey, we gotta go, save the detail," Leo said, bowing to his Sensei and moving out the door, his brothers and April followed, each saying bye to Splinter, who chuckled at Mikey before the door was closed and locked.  
  
()()()()  
  
School today went more quickly than the guys would have thought. Maybe it was because the start of it had gone well. April hadn't drove as mad as before, and they had got out of the car unscathed. Their registration went fast, and their first class, Math went well . . . for all of them.  
  
"Hey Leo," Prida said as she saw him first time that day in Math. She looked slightly embarrassed. "I'm sorry for falling asleep yesterday -"  
  
Leo held up his hands. "I'm not accepting any more 'thanks yous' or 'sorries'."  
  
She laughed and hit him playfully on the arm, then the two took their seats and their class began. Prida was wearing the same blue jeans as Leo was, and a peach colored, baggy-ish top. Leo soon told her what happened after she fell asleep, which was nothing much, but she didn't remember dropping asleep on Raph's shoulder, and she laughed when he told her.  
  
"Hey you up for a little gym activity at lunch?" Leo reminded her.  
  
"Sure, got m' kit," Prida answered, smiling. She seemed more cheerful than usual. Not that she wasn't cheerful before, but there was a little difference.  
  
After Math class, they both walked out together and headed down the Math corridor, coming up to Donny's room, where they waited outside a few seconds for him, before continuing on to Raph and Mikey's room.  
  
"Hey Prida," Donny said as he joined them and they started walking again. "How are ya?" He asked politely.  
  
"I'm great, thanks Don, you seem well."  
  
"I'm good," Donny nodded, walking with Prida in the middle.  
  
Raph and Mikey nearly walked into them as they came level with the door. They hadn't rushed out this time, but walked out casually.  
  
"Hey, why aren't you guys rushing out, with Reily behind you or something?" Donny asked, frowning.  
  
"He's away," Mikey smiled. "Some other dude took the class, and he's cool."  
  
"That's okay because the dude likes the game Rayman as well, and he and Mikey were talking all through the class," Raph said, though he didn't look as bitter as he always did when coming from the Math room.  
  
Then, finished rolling their eyes at each other, they both noticed Prida, and smiled.  
  
"Hey Pri," they both said at the same time, smile faltered and they looked at each other again, shrugged and walked on. Leo, Don and Prida followed.  
  
As they rounded the corner, someone came dashing around it, and knocked into Leo, who lost his balance and landed flat on his butt.  
  
"Owch, oh God, sorry," Roxanne picked herself up after falling too, and rubbed her banged elbow.  
  
Leo was helped up by Mikey. "Oh, hey, no sweat."  
  
"Do you usually dash around corners?" Donny asked.  
  
"No, sorry, I was just - er - outrunning Jared, one of Jo Tooks' stupid friends," Roxanne said, a dark tone in her voice.  
  
"Oh, well, now he's got his little friends on people," Prida muttered, feeling angry. "Don't worry, if he bothers you, just punch him."  
  
Roxanne laughed. "I'll try," she joked back.  
  
Seeing that they were late for their next classes, they all quickly picked up their pace. Mikey disappeared into his Art room a few seconds later, and after that Donny disappeared into his Geography room. The left over four ran over the field and to the Sports Center.  
  
()()()()  
  
"Argh!"  
  
Most of the kids in the corridor turned to look at the cute dude in orange as he yealled in horror at something no one else could see. It was recess, and there was a lot of heads that turned.  
  
"Mikey?" Donny said, uncovering his ears. "Why'd you scream like that? What's wrong?"  
  
They were leaning against the lockers, waiting for Leo, Raph and Prida, maybe accompanied by Roxanne.  
  
"I remembered; I forgot to pack some food!" Mikey cried, as though this was the worst thing you could do.  
  
Donny rolled his eyes and shook his head. "I'm sure Leo woulda packed something - and I'm SURE you can go without eating for one dinner time . . . after all, we don't have much longer here."  
  
"You think he did?" Mikey asked, looking at Donny with those humorously panicked eyes.  
  
"No, not really," Donny answered, looking down the corridor at Tooks, who looked as though he was bullying someone.  
  
"Hi," someone said behind him, and he turned to Michael Deta, who was smiling.  
  
"Oh, hey, Michael," Donny said. "Where've you been for a few days?"  
  
"There's a bug going around, I caught it - no worries though, I'm cured," he laughed.  
  
Leo and co. joined them a minute later, and as Donny thought, Roxanne was with them. She seemed to stay close to Leo at one point, back to him while searching the crowd. Obviously Tooks' gang were more annoying than first appearance, because she seemed to be keeping an eye out for him. And just as Leo arrived, Mikey pounced on him, demanding to know if he brought any food with him.  
  
"Geez, you'd think no one feeds him, or he hasn't eaten for days," Michael laughed.  
  
"Yeah well, that's Mikey," Donny shook his head. "Always got food on the brain."  
  
The bell rang, and most of the corridor dispersed to their rooms. Donny happily announced they had English, and reminded them that they had to have that draft Essay in for today.  
  
"What?" Mikey exclaimed, as they walked to their room. "I haven't even thought about it - and you couldn't have done it because you was with us all day yesterday." He said to Donny.  
  
"Hey, just because I didn't do it on paper doesn't mean I haven't planned in my head," Donny grinned, and glanced at the look of awe on their faces. He shrugged and walked into the English room.  
  
And indeed Donny was right, and the draft Essay was meant to be in for that class. Some other people had finished it, few had started, and the rest hadn't even got that far. The teacher asked a few to read theirs out, and when she picked out Donny, he stood up, waked to the front, and recited his from memory.  
  
"Man, he's freaky," Mikey whispered to Leo, who nodded. "I would never be able to think up all that in my head, and then say it all out."  
  
And fifteen minutes later Donny was still talking. This was a timed speech about how much of Macbeth they understood, so Donny had probably received full marks for the first ten minutes because everyone else's was about five minutes long. After seventeen minutes, the teacher stopped him and said well done, but she had to hear more people. Donny shrugged and sat back down, amazed looks following him.  
  
"Great, now EVERYONE knows YOU," Leo said as Donny sat next to him. "We're meant to be in-vis-a-ble!"  
  
"I couldn't help it," Donny said, lowing his head, but smiling, proud of himself.  
  
It was after their next class, Chemistry, was it lunchtime, and Leo reminded his brothers, exercise time. Leo was looking forward to it, because he could do more than what they do in PE. He had invited Roxanne to join them, and she had agreed, saying she didn't really need anything to eat and would go without. Totally the opposite of Mikey, who, if he heard that, would probably faint.  
  
So after Chemistry, they met up with Prida and Roxanne who were in different rooms, and made their way to the gym. They had asked Leo how he knew if the gym was free, and he replied that on the first day they came here he had asked for the times and bookings of the gym. Thursdays it was free at lunchtimes and after school, so they made their way down there.  
  
"I'll happily just help Raph and Casey kick the vermin in this Town, at least then I could go out and buy something to eat while we're doing it," Mikey complained while getting changed. He had another of Casey's baggy gray T-shirts, and a pair of navy shorts. Donny and Leo had the same, but Raph had slacks, saying he didn't really want to show everyone the massive scar on his shin.  
  
They entered the gym, grabbing a basketball from a pile and shooting a few shots before the girls came out, Prida tying her necklace back. She was never seen without it, not even in PE. Prida wore light lavender purple jogging shorts, which really showed her slim legs, ending in her white sneakers and ankle socks. Roxanne's shorts looked the same except they were blue, and she had no socks on under her bright orange sneakers.  
  
"Yo, catch," Mikey tossed the ball to Prida, and she caught it, twirled it on her finger, passed it round her body and took a lucky shot from where she was. The ball hit the backboard, wobbled on the ring before it slowly fell through the hole.  
  
"Whoa, pretty good," Roxanne said, smiling. Prida smiled back, but then frowned as Roxanne's smile disappeared. She was staring behind Prida, who turned, and her eyes widened.  
  
Jo Tooks strode into the gym with his gang behind him, changed, with a Basketball under one arm. It seemed it had the same idea. He spotted the guys, and then her, and a sick smirk flickered across his face as he looked her up and down. She hated it; she wanted to go get changed right now, but Tooks spoke before she moved.  
  
"Looks like we all had the same idea," he said, the four bros frowning at him in dislike as he moved in-between them. "Wanna play against us? And we'll cut a deal to which ever side wins . . ."  
  
Prida shook her head at Raph, who was about to say something but Leo stepped in, glaring at Tooks.  
  
"We're not making any deal with you, we came here to use the gym by ourselves so why don't you go," he said in a cold tone. Prida sighed in relief and was about to turn to the changing rooms with Roxanne, but -  
  
"What? You don't want to compete?" Tooks grinned. "Afraid we'll win? Can't take it, huh?"  
  
"Shut up Tooks," Leo threatened.  
  
"What are you . . . chicken?" Took grinned nastily.  
  
That did it. Raph pointed a finger. "Okay pal, get ready to lose! You're going down!"  
  
"Raph," Leo groaned. Whenever someone says something insulting Raph could never ignore it. Prida rolled her eyes irritably.  
  
Tooks grinned. "Okay, here's the deal: If our side wins . . . I get to take Prida to the disco -"  
  
"No way!" Raph stormed up to him but Leo held him back. Took appeared unbothered. He glanced at Prida, who was looking mortified. Roxanne was next to her looking disgusted.  
  
"If we WIN," Tooks repeated. "I take Prida to the disco and you guys kiss those Sais goodbye because they'll be mine." He grinned and licked his bottom lip wickedly, then one of his gang stepped up to him and tapped him on the shoulder, muttered something while grinning, and glanced at Roxanne. "Yeah, yeah," Tooks said to him, and turned back to the guys. "And also, Jared here gets her," he pointed to Roxanne, whose face blanked.  
  
"And if we win?" Leo asked, glaring.  
  
"You buy us lunch!" Mikey shouted. He shrugged as everyone looked at him, Leo sighed in annoyance, and turned back to Tooks.  
  
"If we win, you leave Prida alone, and Roxanne, you get off our backs . . . and you don't go saying a word about . . ." Leo said, never breaking eye contact with Tooks, who knew what he was on about.  
  
Thinking it was too hard to leave Prida alone, Took was ready to protest, but instead he nodded, and he and Leo gripped each other's hands tightly to seal the deal. Prida and Roxanne's mouths were open still.  
  
"Geeze, I'm a player, not a pawn that you can sacrifice," she argued, clearly annoyed.  
  
A few people outside of the gym and in the doorway had heard the deal, and had walked in, leant against the wall and were ready to watch. No one said anything to them.  
  
Leo walked up to Prida and Roxanne. "Hey, don't worry, we'll knock em down," he smiled. They returned it, though only half-heartedly.  
  
Since they had six on their team, Leo motioned for Raph to step out until he could swap with someone else. Raph looked as though he was been whipped for no reason, but Leo pointed firmly to the benches against the wall. He thought that it was sensible to take Raph out, because if Tooks gets foul, so would Raph, and they'd be 'accidents'. Hopefully he wouldn't be out the whole game, because it would be a good excuse to run some of his energy down, and Leo didn't fancy being tired while Raph was still hyper.  
  
Tooks and Leo faced each other, glaring, and Mikey held the ball to the side of them. He told them that he and his bros were shooting towards the changing rooms, and Tooks was shooting the other end. Mikey waited a few tense seconds, and then shouted 'GO!' at the same time as he threw the ball up in the air between them.  
  
Both Leo and Tooks leapt into the air, and Leo grabbed the ball; but before he could throw it, he was elbowed in the stomach by Tooks, who then grabbed the ball and threw it to one of his gang, Ace, as he was called. But before Ace caught it, Donny had intercepted it, and was dribbling it here and there, avoiding the other players. He passed the ball to his other hand around his leg as someone dived for it, and threw it to Roxanne, who was open.  
  
Leo was furious with both himself and Tooks. How could he have let him do that? Leo leapt to his feet and ran to help Roxanne, who was surrounded by Tooks' team. People who were watching were cheering.  
  
"Yo! Roxy!" Mikey yelled, hands up, standing behind all of them. Roxanne managed to throw a really high shot to Mikey, who jumped and caught it. Since he was clear, he brought it towards his target, the net. But he heard Leo call out suddenly, and he ducked, saving himself a headache from Jared who was about to bash into him - but fell over Mikey. He may have saved himself a headache, but he just lost the ball. Another of Tooks' smarmy pals, Jay, grabbed it and dribbled it down the court before passing it to Tooks, who took a shot and scored.  
  
His team cheered, as well as a few of the people watching, but most shook their heads and some braved enough to 'boo'. Tooks slapped Jay a high five, and glared triumphantly at Leo, who still had a hand on his stomach.  
  
But the game got a lot more violent. As they continued, Raph thought he'd repay Tooks for what he did to Leo, but since Tooks seemed to be keeping his distance from Raph, the teen in red tripped up Ace as the evil friend-of-the-enemy ran past, knocking him down just as he was about to receive the ball. Even though Raph got a 'Raph, you shouldn't swoop to their level' look from Leo, he felt better.  
  
Now Donny had the ball again, and was making his way fast to his net. Before he could reach it, Luke, the forth member of Tooks' gang, tripped Donny up. But Don fell forwards and into a roll, coming up to face the net and throwing the ball. It landed on the backboard, and spun around on the ring before dropping through. A much louder crowd cheered for that one, and Donny slapped Mikey a high five, grinning.  
  
Tooks' face was sour, and he turned back to his gang and brought his finger across his neck, signaling for his team to 'kill 'em'. Then he turned back, eyes on Prida as she jogged over to Raph on the bench. She was so perfect. Tooks had been after her since they started Kindergarten together. She would soon like him, if not then Tooks could think of other persuasions . . . throwing Raph and his brothers in jail was one. Tooks grinned evilly to himself again. He loved blackmail - but even though he could get those identical four put away, he still wanted to know why all these clues fit in with them, and why, if it was true, did they use the sewers?  
  
The game started to get a lot rougher from Tooks' side, and soon the score was three two to Tooks, and Leo knew he couldn't lose this game at all. It was only until Mikey got injured did he realize their opponents were just as determined as they were.  
  
Tooks had grabbed the ball again, dribbling it a couple of yards before passing it to Jay, who caught it, spun, and passed it to Ace nearer to the net, but Mikey was there to intercept, and he caught the ball. Tooks growled as Mikey ran past Jay and Ace with the ball, stopped, and threw it to Leo, who passed it to Prida, who scored. It was now a tie, and Tooks was mad.  
  
When they resumed play, Tooks threw it to Jared, who dribbled it down the court to their target. While everyone was following him, Tooks ran up behind Mikey, knocking into him and at the same time stamping down as hard as he could on Mikey's foot - the one Tooks himself trapped in the door.  
  
Mikey's face immediately screwed up in pain, and he lifted his foot off the floor, in too much agony to say anything but wince fiercely. Tooks ran past him, half smiling to himself for getting that one back. He had taken a disliking to Mikey for some reason, even though the dude hadn't done anything to him.  
  
Mikey fell to the floor on his butt, eyes mere slits because of the pain, clutching his leg to keep his foot off the floor and to keep from using his muscle to lift it. Everyone was busy trying to engage the others that they didn't notice; all except Raph, who just saw it.  
  
"Mikey!" He leapt off the bench and dashed over to his brother, dropping to the floor next to him.  
  
Tooks' gang had now scored, and the guys, Prida and Roxanne groaned and turned away to walk back up the court. That was when they saw Mikey and Raph on the floor. Leo rushed over frowning, Donny, Rox and Prida right behind.  
  
"Mikey what is it?" Leo asked, quite concerned because Mikey looked in so much pain.  
  
"Tooks," Raph growled, glaring at him. He was about to get up and go over to the git but Leo pulled him down, shaking his head.  
  
"Stood - on my - foot!" Mikey managed.  
  
Donny bent down. "I have to have a look at it, it could have pulled the stitches out or something." Donny gently untied Mikey's sneakers, while Tooks and his gang smirked and laugh nastily.  
  
"Ow!" Mikey moaned, as Donny, as gently as he could, pulled his sneaker off his foot. Relief spread through them when they saw no blood.  
  
"It might have popped the stitches, I'm not sure," Donny said.  
  
Prida knelt down next to Mikey's shoulder, and laid a hand on it.  
  
"Okay, I gotta take ya to the nurse so she can have a look at it and tell you what's the damage," Donny said, putting the sneaker down and lifting Mikey gently under one arm, while Raph got the other. Prida supported his back for him.  
  
"Aw man, just when we were competing, I have to get injured again," Mikey moaned. "S'not fair!" Donny dragged him away.  
  
Tooks and the others were pointing to poor Mikey and laughing still, and Leo felt so angry. He fixed Raph with his eyes and gave his head a small, firm jerk, meaning 'get in this game now!' Raph obediently stepped up, now part of the game, glaring at Tooks and flexing his fingers. Leo didn't care if Tooks got hurt now; that was the second time he deliberately hurt Mikey, and Leo wouldn't stand for anyone to hurt his brothers and get away with it.  
  
"You're going down," Raph said as they all got ready to resume the game. " . . . painfully . . ." Raph added.  
  
Tooks only glared back and said, "Not if you wanna keep your identical butts outta jail." Raph ground his teeth together; steam practically rising from him.  
  
For the next part of the game, Leo took the ball, and passed it to Prida. They now only had four players, while Tooks still had five. Tooks seemed happy about this, which made the others angrier.  
  
Prida was dribbling it down the middle of the court, coming up to her target. Tooks and his gang flanked her, and she glanced back quickly to see. Roxanne was behind the lot in case they grabbed the ball and she could sneak it back from behind.  
  
She stared to her right at Raph, and prepared to throw the ball to him, and Tooks' group immediately started to rush over and try to intercept.  
  
"Leo!" Prida called, and, while still looking at Raph, she threw the ball to her left to Leo, who caught it and slam-dunked it.  
  
"Yes!" Prida grinned, and pumped her fist in the air. Raph slapped her a high five, while Leo, still hanging from the ring, fell lightly to the floor.  
  
Jay, Ace, Jared and Luke were all confused with the name change, but Tooks was furious. They were tying again, and he couldn't let them. Time to injure someone else, but who? Tooks didn't want Prida to be harmed at all; that Leo was too much a leader, but he could keep everyone else in check, which was a good thing but also a bad; Roxanne was okay, Tooks was sure Jared wanted to see her running around; Raph was too dangerous, threatening Tooks . . . he would have to go. Tooks called his group over and he told them who to try and take out, if necessary, knock out. To Tooks, the brothers were almost recognizable from each other, apart from Leo and Donny, who he got mixed up; but his teammates didn't have a clue who was who, so it would have to be color-coded. Tooks pointed out the one in the red bandanna, and they all grinned evilly.  
  
Leo saw the little huddle, and the evil grins, and didn't like it one bit. They had been snickering at Raph. Leo looked at his brother, who was scanning the audience they had gathered. Leo looked back to Tooks to see them all slap hands and break up. What were they going to do?  
  
It was, to Leo, either an accident, or was just to be unfair, what two of them did as the game continued. Roxanne had the ball after taking it from Jay easily, and she took it down to her net, ready to pass to Raph, who seemed to be open. Leo was stood with his arms ready just in case she decided to throw to him. But as Rox threw the ball, Jay and Jared came up amazingly fast on either side of Raph, jumping into the air and crushing the teen in-between them. Raph, who was just about to jump for the ball, was stopped about two inches above the floor, and elbowed rather hard on the head as Jay's arm grabbed the ball and jerked back from the impact as it hit his palm. They all fell back with gravity, and Raph fell to the floor, hand on his head and looking dazed. Leo and the others had stared for that second, but Raph got up, unscathed, but a slight disorientated expression on his face. Roxanne had dashed after Jay who now had the ball, while Prida and Leo ran up to Raph.  
  
"You oka -" Leo began.  
  
"I'm fine, get the ball," Raph said shortly, fire in his eyes, even though his face was neutral.  
  
Leo nodded and shot off after Roxanne. Prida put a hand on Raph's arm, looking concerned.  
  
Tooks wasn't too happy viewing this. He snorted, and growled even more as Leo jumped an amazing height in the air, saving the ball before it dropped into Tooks' net only a foot away. Before Leo had landed he had thrown it to Roxanne, over the heads of the others. Roxanne grabbed it, and dribbled it down the court back to their net, way ahead of any of Tooks' gang. She had a grin on her face, and Leo watched with his own smrik as she threw and scored. She threw her hands in the air, and Prida ran over and slapped her a high five and a low five. They grinned and looked at Leo, who looked impressed by the girls' basketball skills.  
  
Tooks noticed how they seemed to look to Leo for appraisal; maybe he should be taken down instead of Raph. Taking both of them out wouldn't be easy, and of course Prida would hate Tooks more and he didn't want that. It would have to be one of them . . . Tooks smiled to himself. He could be so evil sometimes, just to get what he wants.  
  
The next part was long as neither got any scores because everyone seemed much too determined to keep the ball away from their opponents net. Ace started off with the ball, and managed to pass it around Roxanne to Jared, who grinned as Roxanne ran to him. She stopped, and Jared took this opportunity to dribble it down his court. But Leo ran across his path and he was forced to throw to Tooks, who was about to grab it but a flash of sandy colored hair and a slip of red passed him, and the ball was no longer aiming at him. It was bouncing its way down the court in Raph's hand. Tooks growled, and ran after him. Luke and Jared ran at the side of Raph, and the red teen passed to Leo, just as the two stuck a leg out in front of both of Raph's, and he went tumbling, unable to jump over them. Jared and Luke grinned and set off after the ball and Leo, who was dangerously close to his net. Raph jumped back up, nose stinging and bleeding where he had smacked it on the floor. He was mad.  
  
"We should have had Donny devise a strategy for this," Leo muttered to himself as he watched Prida pass to Roxanne. "This is something different to what we usually tackle." Man he felt restrained because this opponent was one he couldn't beat to a pulp.  
  
As Roxanne was about to dribble closer to their net, she found herself trapped, and knowing the opposite team would get the ball anyway if she threw to the net, she passed it back to Prida, who caught it, dribbled slightly closer, leapt and scored. But when she landed, the oncoming wave of opponents couldn't stop themselves in time and crashed into her, knocking her to the floor. She let out a cry of surprise that cut off quickly as she impacted with the floor.  
  
Leo dashed over to her, while the others, Jay, Jared, Ace and Luke all looked actually sorry and guilty, moved away. Tooks stormed up to them looking furious.  
  
"Don't dare do that again," he threatened darkly, though he was usually nice with his friends.  
  
His friends looked guilty and said they'd be more careful, because Tooks reminded them that if she injured herself then he wouldn't be able to go with her to the disco, which would make him angry, and a living hell to go to school with. But they did say it was an accident.  
  
Roxanne and Raph joined Leo and Prida, who were climbing to their feet.  
  
"Ow, my ankle," Prida winced, lifting her foot off the floor, balancing on her other while holding onto Leo's shoulder for support.  
  
"I think you ought to sit it out," Leo said, then biting his lip.  
  
"No! I can't," Prida said, frowning, as though what Leo said was totally insane. "I have to help you guys, you'll only have three players!"  
  
"Prida, you can't run," Roxanne pointed out, hands on hips.  
  
Prida looked at Leo, with a face what Mikey would cringe at because it was exactly what he does when he wants to do something when everyone's arguing against it. Leo smiled ever so slightly and raised an eyebrow, as in saying 'Nope, I'm not letting you continue.' Prida instead turned her cute puppy-dog eyes on Raph.  
  
"Out," he said, pointing to the bench, then slapping himself mentally for sounding like Leo. Prida gave up, and limped over to the bench where she sat down, arms folded as though she had been bad and had been told off.  
  
Tooks watched her limp. It didn't look that bad, but for once he secretly agreed with the other three for sending her out. It could get worse, and then where would he be without her to accompany him to the disco? He turned back, grabbing the ball, which Luke had just passed to him, and the game started again.  
  
"What exactly are we going to?" Roxanne asked, counting their scores so far, which was six four to them. Two more than Tooks' team.  
  
"Ten!" Jared, who was running past, shouted, grinning at her.  
  
"Thanks for informing us now!" Raph growled. "He could have said eight at the beginning, and since we're winning changed it to ten so he had a better chance of catching up . . ."  
  
Leo agreed with his brother, it was probably something Tooks would do; but they would go to ten anyway.  
  
Prida watched from her bench as Tooks took possession of the ball and made his way down to his net with it. Leo ran across his path and snatched the ball out the way, but just after he did, he was tripped by Jared, who then grabbed the ball. He passed back to Tooks, who was closest to the net and scored. Roxanne narrowed her eyes at Jared and ran to help Leo to his feet.  
  
"You okay?" She asked, grabbing his arm and pulling him up, surprised for a brief second because of the hidden muscles that she could feel.  
  
"I'm good," Leo assured her, and glanced at Tooks who was smirking.  
  
Prida realized later that, injured ankle or no injured ankle, they needed her in. As Leo took the ball this time, it looked like his team was going for another score, until Ace ran into Leo, who managed to throw the ball to Raph before Ace could grab it. But Raph was attacked too. He leapt out the way as Jay ran at him, and spun away from Luke; but he couldn't avoid collision with Ace, and they both went down, the ball bounced a few times before it was picked up by Tooks, who took it down the court, passing it to Jared, and then scored. This wasn't basketball, this was like friggin' football!  
  
"Alright!" Jared slapped Tooks a high five. They were even once again, and it seemed that everyone on the opposite team was injured except for Roxanne, who was looking worried.  
  
"This isn't fair," Roxanne said to the two bros, who were picking themselves off the floor. "Those guys are gonna flatten us, literately."  
  
"No way," Raph growled. "No one flattens us." He turned to Leo while Roxanne turned around to look at Tooks' gang. "Leo, this ain't us. It must be this stupid human body that's slowing us down! I mean, we were just crunched by a couple of humans."  
  
"Raph, I think it's just because we don't realize that this isn't just a normal game," Leo said, glancing to see if Roxanne or anyone was listening. "We're loosing focus; concentrate, I'm sure we'll kick butt . . . "He grinned. "Think of Tooks as a Foot member." Then to make sure that had an effect, he added, "the Foot member that left Prida in the fire . . ."  
  
Raph narrowed his eyes.  
  
However, either Raph was right and it was their human bodies slowing them down; or Leo was right and the fact that it was a game didn't have the great persuasion of winning as it did if it were life threatening against the Foot. Just after the two brothers had spoken about it, they found the ball had again been snatched from their hands, and out through the net on the opposite team. Tooks was now one score ahead again.  
  
As they all grinned wickedly and slapped hands, Leo, Raph and Roxanne made their way to Prida on the bench. She had her arms crossed and had put on an expression more or less saying 'admit it, you need me'.  
  
"Looks like Tooks is one ahead again," Prida said, making herself look casual, but forcing that tone in her voice that was warningly.  
  
They all glanced at her, and she continued to look away, fighting to smile. She knew they wanted to ask her back in.  
  
"You wanna -" Leo started.  
  
"Already in," Prida grinned, and held her hand up for a high five. He looked at it, smiled and slapped it, and they all stood up.  
  
"You are stubborn when you want to be, ya know," Leo said, smiling.  
  
"It's the only way to get ahead in this school," Prida grinned back. She looked happier now she was back in the game, and completely ignored the pain in her angle, which had lessened since the accident.  
  
And indeed she felt happier knowing she was up there to kick Tooks' butt; and Leo and the others knew she helped them out getting back their lost scores. They managed to play perfectly, passing the ball to and from. It was a funny feeling, but Leo got the impression that Prida seemed to be the encouragement they all needed to play this game. Tooks didn't seem too happy about it, but he did at least seem relived that Prida's ankle was fine. It wasn't long before they were all on nine scores each, Tooks just having managed to get past Roxanne to slam it in the net and rounding his score up, tying with the others who scored their number nine about three minutes ago. They had been passing the ball to and from, almost like they were teasing Tooks' gang until Jared leapt pretty high and saved it before Prida could receive it. Then he had passed it to Tooks, who upped the score.  
  
"Okay guys," Leo said, gathering his group into a little huddle. "We got one more score to go, and if they get it before us you, two better not commit suicide," he said to Prida and Roxanne, who were looking a little pale.  
  
"You okay?" Roxanne asked Prida, who didn't speak, instead she nodded. Raph nudged her and nodded slightly, as in assuring her this next score was theirs.  
  
"Okay," Leo clapped his hands together. "Let's kick butt." He and his team broke out and faced Tooks' team, who were already in positions.  
  
Leo started with the ball by quickly passing it to Roxanne, who dribbled it a few feet and found her path blocked by Jared, whose grin put her off. The ball was taken quickly from her hesitation, and she stared in surprise as Tooks dashed by with it. But it was taken off him only after he had taken it from Roxanne, by Leo.  
  
"Go Leo!" Raph yelled, eyes on the ball but also keeping his mind open around his brother for any idiots who wanted to reclaim the ball. Sure enough Ace came bounding over and was about block Leo's path but Raph charged into him, leaving Leo's path a few seconds clear. That was all Leo needed to get closer to his net, and throw to Prida before Tooks could leap in and grab it.  
  
Prida caught it and passed it around her body as Luke jumped for it and missed, connecting with the wall behind her. She bounced it twice, deciding where to go, and dodged right as Jay tried to grab the ball. She ran with it, turned and skillfully passed it to Raph, who dribbled it closer to his net, jumping over Tooks' leg, which suddenly lashed out about knee height. Raph grinned as he saw Tooks' surprised face, and threw the ball to Roxanne who was right near the net and open. But the ball was intercepted by Luke, who ran like hell away from that end of the court to his, passing it to Tooks and then back to him again.  
  
Prida's heart froze as she saw the ball aim for the net, flying through the air in a perfect line. But it was stopped by Leo again, who seemed to be the best keeper of goals this school had seen. As soon as he landed he was off down to his end of the court.  
  
Through the gathered crowd, two people emerged, watching as something with a blue streak sped past, followed by Tooks' gang.  
  
"Pri!" Leo called, and threw it to her, but Tooks had copied Leo's way of blocking, and jumped in front of the ball, taking control of it. He landed, grinning, and made his way away from the net to his. He knew he was going to win. The opponents were behind him now, completely thrown off that he got the ball. That was good; his win would be easy. He lazily threw a high pass to Jared, who watched it, raised his arms to catch it - but was completely surprised by the sudden flash of purple and then suddenly the ball was no longer heading towards him, but in the hands of one of the brothers.  
  
"Donny!?" Leo called, skidding to a stop and running backwards now his brother was making his way towards him.  
  
"Who did ya think?" Donny grinned. "Your Fairy Basketballer?!"  
  
"Go Donny!" Mikey cheered, standing to the edge, leaning against the wall.  
  
"Explanations later Leo - right now I had two friends to save from a horrible fate!" Donny said as he sped past to the net.  
  
Tooks' gang had recovered from their surprise, and made their way, desperately to the ball.  
  
"Leo!" Donny yelled, and threw the ball to his brother in blue. Leo dribbled it around Tooks who had ran up to him, and passed it to Raph, threw it on the floor so hard it bounced right over Jared, who was going for it, into Roxanne's hands, who made it about a foot or two closer to the net, then was forced to pass it to Leo, who was also trapped. He bounced it, and faked a move to go left, fooling Luke and Jay into diving that way, while he passed it to Prida, who leapt in the air and slam-dunked it.  
  
The whole crowd that they had gathered cheered, clapping enthusiastically.  
  
"YES!" Prida leapt into the air, fist straight up. "We Won! Uh huh!" Roxanne laughed at her as she did a quick jig.  
  
"Yo Prida!" Mikey called from the wall.  
  
"Mikey!" Prida said, and ran up to him. He caught her under the arms and lifted her off the floor as he swung her around, and then put her down. She looked slightly stunned, but her grin never left. She was thoroughly relived she didn't have to go to the nightclub with Tooks; and it seemed Roxanne was as glad too.  
  
"You won!" Mikey grinned, looking into her eyes, which amazingly shone such a clear color purple. "Gimme five dudette!" He slapped her five, and then a low five. They grinned as Leo, Donny, Raph and Roxanne joined them, all grinning.  
  
"Outstanding guys," Leo said, raising his hand. Everyone slapped it, smiles wide from ear to ear.  
  
"Thanks to Donny, who saved us," Prida said, leaning an arm on Donny's shoulder. She watched his cheeks redden ever so slightly.  
  
"I really would have committed suicide if I had to go to the disco with Tooks," Prida said, turning to Leo.  
  
He grinned. "You don't have to now, we saved ya."  
  
"Yeah, we save a lotta people," Mikey said quietly, grin fading slightly. Roxanne didn't hear this because she was now grinning at Tooks' team, who seemed absolutely miserable and angry. Prida however heard, and frowned. Was that just a joke, or did he mean that?  
  
~  
  
(Thanks to Sanata for her encouragement - really appreciated, as well as everyone else's out there ;) ) 


	32. Never Give In Give In

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
"Did you see Tooks' face!?" Prida said, grinning from ear to ear as she and Roxanne finished changing in the gym locker rooms. Roxanne was just gulping much needed water from the fountain, and Prida was wielding her water bottle as a weapon, and flailing it about as she talked about the game they had just played.  
  
"Yeah I did, and Jared," Roxanne looked up from the fountain; her face was wet from not just the water but from sweat. "I'll savor that moment for ever." She dried her face on a towel, and threw it to Prida.  
  
"Thanks," Prida said and wiped her face. "Hey, I er, couldn't help noticing how you . . . er, seem to have taken a liking to Leo . . ." Prida grinned.  
  
Roxanne went red slightly. "Maybe," she said, flashing a quick grin at her friend, who laughed.  
  
"C'mon, let's get going," Prida said, passing the towel back to Roxanne, who stuffed it in her bag. "The bell will be going any min-"  
  
The bell rang, and Prida and Roxanne looked at each other and chuckled. They felt their spirits had been lifted up to heaven. They were happy they won that game.  
  
"Ut oh, we'll be late," Roxanne said, and they quickly made their way out of the changing rooms and into the gym, which was empty except for four extremely cute guys.  
  
"Hey," Donny said, getting up from the bench they all were on, now out of their gray shirts and shorts and into their colored shirts and jeans.  
  
"We were waiting for ya 'cause Tooks was hanging around, probably up to no good. I think he was waiting for you," Mikey said, getting up with the rest of his brothers.  
  
"Thanks guys," Prida smiled. "Let's get going, eh?"  
  
They all walked to their classrooms, but before they went their own ways, Mikey tried to tell Prida something, but didn't get it out before he was forced back by a stream of people. Prida shrugged and slowed down by the people pushing past her. Roxanne had got lost in the crowd of people, but her room was a different way to Prida's.  
  
"Business Class," Donny announced. They were all still smiling because of the game.  
  
"Why did you guys come back to the game anyway?" Leo asked. "Shouldn't Mikey have gone to the nurse or hospital?"  
  
"Nah, she looked at it and only found that one of my stitches had popped," Mikey said, glad it wasn't anything more serious. "But it's still painful now, thanks to that jerk."  
  
"Hey, we kicked his butt so he's paid back," Raph grinned. Mikey slapped his bro a high five and they walked on down the corridor towards their classroom.  
  
"You guys needed me anyway," Donny said, smiling. "Don't question good players."  
  
His brothers rolled their eyes and groaned at him, and walked over to their seats. There wasn't a chair at Raph's seat, so he quickly took Prida's.  
  
Just then Prida walked into the room and stood at her desk where the chair should have been. She turned to Raph and put her hands on her hips.  
  
"You took my chair," she accused. Everyone else was settling down in the class and she was still stood up.  
  
"No I didn't," Raph said, pretending to frown and look around the room.  
  
"Yeah you did I saw you!" Prida tried to tug the chair back to her table with Raph still on it, but he planted his feet on the ground and wouldn't budge. Prida gave up and crossed her arms. Leo, Donny and Mikey were laughing.  
  
"Aw Prida," Mikey teased. "You'll have to sit on the floor, there's no more chairs left."  
  
Indeed he was right, as Prida glanced around the room. Every chair just happened to have been taken, apart from one other person, but he had grabbed the teacher's chair, while laughing his head off at something. Prida stuck her lip out.  
  
"Outta my chair," she said in a low voice, trying not to grin.  
  
"Make me," Raph said, trying to keep a smile off his face.  
  
Knowing she couldn't, Prida grinned and instead of 'making him' move, she sat on his knee.  
  
"Hah," Prida laughed, and refused to move.  
  
"Hey!" Raph said, arms held out in protest.  
  
"I'm not moving until you give me my seat back," Prida said in a stubborn tone.  
  
"Aw, Prida, I took your seat really," Mikey said. "You can sit on my knee." He laughed.  
  
"Sorry Mikey, but I'm not moving from MY seat until Raph gives up," Prida crossed her arms. "I might numb your legs," she warned Raph.  
  
"I've known heavier trust me, like when Mikey slept on me." Raph actually was surprised because Prida was so light. "I think you're gonna get uncomfortable," he grinned, and sat back with his hands behind his head.  
  
"I think you are," Prida grinned behind her shoulder. For fun she bounced slightly on his knee, and Raph sat up straight and grabbed her shoulders, stopping her, obvious it wasn't comfy for Raph. She grinned while he put on a face that was humorous; but he had lost.  
  
"I bet my knee's comfier than Raph's," Mikey crossed his arms and smiled just as the teacher came in; she sometimes took over from the other teacher. The class was still noisy, and she frowned when she saw Prida with two pairs of legs. She walked over to them and frowned.  
  
"Didn't know you had two pairs of legs, Prida," the teacher said in a flat, humor voice.  
  
"Oh, heh, no this is . .. erm, a dare," Prida said, smiling. "He has to put up with me here for the entire class." She motioned with her head to Raph behind her, who peeked around her shoulder and shrugged.  
  
The teacher was smart, but she was also kind. "Yeah, okay, I just don't wanna see you two up to anything but sitting and working." She walked back to her desk, where she called out to the class to write down what she was writing on the blackboard. The class remained talkative, but at the same time got down to writing.  
  
"Give up?" Prida asked about five minutes later, in which Raph had tried leaning his paper on her back and writing. She had squirmed because it tickled, and now his paper was slightly messy with inkblots. Now he was writing on the table, leaning around his friend, who was actually quite comfy where she was, and her work remained as neat as ever. She rested one of her legs across the other.  
  
"Nope, you?" Raph challenged, frowning at another inkblot that appeared as Prida chuckled.  
  
"Not a chance."  
  
"You know, they're as bad as each other," Donny said to Leo, who looked up from his work and nodded. The teacher was a fast writing, so he had to write pretty fast to keep up. Mikey had abandoned the blackboard and was now copying from Leo. Raph was also copying from Prida as he couldn't see the board at all.  
  
"Er, you spelt that wrong," Prida pointed out to Raph's work. She nudged his hand out the way, crossed out his wrongly spelt word and corrected it. She went back to writing her own. Raph ignored his brother's snickers. His cheeks were still slightly red at having a girl sat on his knee.  
  
Donny put down his pen a few seconds before the teacher and announced he had finished.  
  
"But you finished just before she had finished writing," Mikey pointed out, frowning.  
  
"Yeah put it was predictable what she was about to end that paragraph with," Donny explained. The teacher heard this and shook her head, amazed by this kid's brilliance.  
  
Tooks, who was sat two rows behind them as usual, glared at Raph's back. Why the hell Prida wanted to sit on him was beyond his understanding, and he didn't want to know. All he wanted to see was those four brothers being arrested by his dad, which he promised himself would happen very soon. So what if he had made a deal? He didn't keep his promises, so why should he keep his deals; they're basically just the same. Of course there were some special promises he would keep, if he made them to Prida. He glared some more.  
  
It was nearing the end of the class, and Prida was amazed Raph could still put up with her weight on his knees. She had refused to shift even when all four brothers tried a tickle attack, after which they were told by the teacher that in this school usually a girl only has one boyfriend, in other words, they should sit down unless they wanted people to think that. She was being funny; there was nothing wrong with tickling friends.  
  
When the bell rang a few minutes later, Prida jumped off Raph, and stood awkwardly. Raph also stood the same.  
  
"My butts slightly numb," Prida said, grinning and glancing at Mikey, who was laughing at her.  
  
"Same with my knees," Raph said, leaning on the desk.  
  
"Well done for carrying out a dare," The teacher said. "Now skid-daddle guys, and no more sitting on people," she told Prida, who grinned and walked out of class with the rest of them to their next and last class of the day.  
  
"Hey guys," Matt called to them as they walked in the room at the same time. Owen, Matt's brother, smiled, which slipped slightly as he studied the four identical faces trying to guess who was who again. Matt's friend Ben Taylor greeted them friendlily too.  
  
Mikey made sure in this class that he sat next to Prida; and when the class got going, and the babble broke out, Mikey conversed with Prida, unnoticed among the talk around them. Everyone was too busy talking to notice the two swapping phone numbers, and hear Mikey warn Prida that they wouldn't always be at April's to pick up if she rang. Then he made her promise that she would do what they discussed, and after finally giving up with a smile and a sigh, Prida agreed. No one would know until they have to, and Mikey was excited about this; surprisingly so was Prida. She had finally given up on something, but it was hard not to fall for Mikey's cute puppy-dog eyes and his pleas. She just hoped that this wasn't going to be embarrassing.  
  
So when the bell rang forty minutes later, and the class dispersed into the corridors, Mikey reminded Prida about their little plan.  
  
"Just remember," Mikey said quickly before his brothers could hear, they were at the lockers. "I would buy it myself b-"  
  
"Oh Hey, Prida?" Leo called over, interrupting Mikey. Prida looked up. "Er, how are you getting home?"  
  
"Oh, don't worry, Korey's picking me up," Prida assured him, knowing he was worrying about her making her journey home, after what happened when they walked with her.  
  
Leo nodded, and he and the other two started to make their way down the corridor to the exit of the school. Mikey stayed a few paces behind with Prida, who kept telling him she would ring when she was ready.  
  
Outside of the school, all four brothers stopped with Prida.  
  
"Aren't you walking home?" Prida asked, wondering why they were looking down the streets.  
  
"Yeah," Donny said. "But we wanna make sure Korey picks you up first."  
  
Prida felt slightly embarrassed about keeping them from walking. "Aw, guys, I'm sure Korey will come, I'll be fine."  
  
"Maybe we wanna wait here anyway," Mikey said, smiling.  
  
"What? All day? I guess I just won't do that certain thing I promised . . ." Prida teased, mysterious to the guys as to what she was on about. They frowned, and before they could ask her what she was on about, a blue car pulled up and Korey got out of his side, and waved to the guys. They waved back, and Prida said bye, glancing at Mikey before she pulled the door closed and the car sped off. The mysterious teaser thing was forgotten and the guys started to make their way back home.  
  
"Hey, you know we can walk past that gadget store -" Donny spoke up as they passed a few little food stores.  
  
"No!" His three brothers shouted, Mikey slightly louder. If Donny got in there, he could and would spend ages, and he had to get back home and wait for Prida's call. The four brothers carried on past the little food stores.  
  
"Hey, you guys don't mind if I gave Prida April's number, do ya?" Mikey asked, hoping Leo wasn't going to explode and say how stupid that was, for some reason Mikey missed.  
  
"Why did you give her our number?" Leo asked.  
  
"Oh, well, er - just in case she needs it, ya know," Mikey shrugged.  
  
"Hm, good thinking Mikey," Leo nodded, and Mikey found his mouth open, surprised Leo hadn't flipped or something. "But it was a good idea, and a bad idea, because you know we can't have Prida calling April's -"  
  
"When we change back," Mikey sighed, finishing Leo's sentence with him.  
  
"Prida's not the kind to phone and natter like normal girls," Raph pointed out distantly.  
  
"And you would know," Donny grinned. Raph elbowed him.  
  
"Huh?" Suddenly Leo stopped, eyes closed. His brothers looked at him, frowning.  
  
"What's wrong dude?" Mikey asked.  
  
Leo clutched his head; his face was screwed up either in concentration or because of a headache.  
  
"I just . . . felt something . . ." he said, eyes still closed. "Like a warning - or something - I - I saw that man! The man we're looking for. He . . . he's looking for someone . . . He's looking for us . . . Near. It's near . . . soon, not long . . . No more waiting; Time is through; You seek me, while I seek you . . ."  
  
Leo shook his head and opened his eyes, appearing a little disorientated. He frowned at his brothers.  
  
"Leo, you okay?" Mikey asked softly.  
  
"I'm . . . fine - it was a premonition, that man's looking for us, I saw a quick image of him. He - he's near . . ."  
  
The other three looking unnerved slightly, glancing at each other before returning their eyes to Leo, who was looking at the floor.  
  
"That thing you just said," Mikey spoke. "That poem thingy, tell me you made that up?"  
  
"I didn't make it up, I've never heard it before," Leo frowned even more. "I just said it, as though it were being forced into my head."  
  
"This is creeping ME out," Raph said almost casually, though sounding as though he was in no way creeped out. He was glancing around in case people were staring. No one was there.  
  
"'No more waiting; time is through; You seek me while I seek you'," Donny repeated to himself. "And you said 'It's near' . . ."  
  
"Yeah, he's looking for us, while we're looking for him, eventually we HAVE to meet with him," Mikey said.  
  
"'Time is through', time is out, our meeting is obviously near," Leo said, while Donny nodded.  
  
"We're gonna rally with him very soon if he sent you that little message," Donny said. "And when we do . . ."  
  
"He'll change us back . . ." Leo finished. "But why go to all this trouble to change us back? Why doesn't he just leave us like this?"  
  
"Why couldn't he just leave us like this?" Raph muttered very quietly. Leo frowned at him slightly, but Donny and Mikey, who were deep in though didn't hear, or didn't make any indication that they heard. Perhaps they had thought the same - even hoped the same . . .  
  
"Let's get back to Splinter," Mikey said. "Maybe he could give us a rough date or time when this magic dude wants to meet."  
  
"I don't know if Master Splinter would be able to," Leo said. "This guy has powerful magic, he can change anything."  
  
"Let's go and tell him at least," Mikey suggested. He also wanted to get home so he wouldn't miss Prida's phone call. He WAS worried about this, but he felt much comfier pushing it to one side and enjoying something else.  
  
They arrived home, after keeping an invisible eye on Leo, as he looking a little exhausted, and ran into the apartment. April was home early for once, and it looked like she and Splinter were enjoying a good meal and a comedy. They both looked up as the guys came in, and immediately Splinter sensed something, also knowing something was up with a glance at Leo, who seemed distant, even as he ran through the door.  
  
"Hey guys, what's up?" April asked putting her plate down on the floor next to the couch.  
  
"Leo just had a crazy vision thingy," Mikey explained, and silenced as his brother told April and Splinter what he had experienced.  
  
"It is simple," Splinter said. "All we can do is wait for this time when you will cross paths. He knows it will be soon, and has informed you."  
  
"How soon?" Mikey moaned. He would prefer a time, a date, at least a day.  
  
April rushed about making them a warm drink, which only made Leo more tired than he already was.  
  
"Maybe you should go to bed," April suggested to Leo, as he blinked tiredly, head bowed, sitting next to Donny and Raph on the couch. Just then the phone rang, and April picked it up. Mikey's ears pricked when he heard April say it was for him, from Prida. At last.  
  
"Yellow," Mikey smiled, greeting Prida into the phone. "Yeah . . . okay, sure, that's fine, nah I'll walk, no it's okay, I got it . . . okay, see ya in twenty." He put the phone down.  
  
"What did Prida want?" Donny asked. Next to him Leo lifted his head and listened too.  
  
"Oh, she wants me to meet her at the cinema," Mikey said, pulling on his sneakers which he had only just pulled off a few minutes ago. "She wants a present for her sister, er, Mai's birthday, heh, and she wants my help to pick something out, like a nice cook book or something." Mikey congratulated himself on such a good cover up. "S'ok if I go, right?"  
  
"Of course, Michelangelo," Splinter smiled.  
  
Mikey grinned, felt cheeky enough to take down the baseball cap Raph now dubbed his own and plunk it on his head, and opened the door.  
  
"See ya guys," he said, and disappeared before anyone could argue or ask to come with him. He was worried they might tell him not to go because of his foot, which was still slightly painful. Mikey told himself it would be fine. He was only going to walk around for a bit; but the reason he and Prida were meeting was because he had to help her pick something out, and he didn't know how picky she would be about this. It certainly wasn't a present for her sister, whose birthday happened to be in May anyway.  
  
"I wonder why she didn't invite the rest of us," Donny thought, frowning slightly. Must be because Mikey was an expert in areas only he knows, and what Prida wants for her sister.  
  
"Hm," Raph made a thoughtful noise. It was a little odd.  
  
//  
  
Mikey practically ran to the cinema, and by the time he got there his foot was throbbing. He came gasping around the corner, spotting Prida standing by herself near the ticket booth. She spotted him and waited for him, looking rather nervous. Mikey ran up to her, smiling.  
  
"Didn't chicken out then I see," he teased.  
  
"Nope, I didn't amazingly," Prida bit her lip. "I've never even done this with my sister, well, once, but that was a while ago, and Mai's attempt to get me in a dress failed. It seems you must have a stronger hold over me."  
  
"C'mon, this'll be fun," Mikey said excitedly. "We're only going to look around for a great dress for you to wear for the disco, there's nothing to worry about."  
  
"You're not the one who has to wear it tomorrow," Prida argued. "I mean - what if I look like a total idiot in a dress - Mai asked me where I was going, and she figured it out! She was shocked, then she offered to buy me some sandals - I mean, I can't wear sandals, couldn't I just wear sneakers?"  
  
Mikey laughed. "Prida, I don't think sneakers go well with a dress - and stop worrying, no way will you look like an idiot, you're gonna look great! Man, I know more about this than you do, and I'm a guy!"  
  
Prida laughed. Yeah, it did sound pretty funny, but she was no expert about what goes well with what, in dressing-up sense.  
  
"But, I'd usually just wear jeans and a smart top," she argued further. "I dress would look too overly-dressed."  
  
Mikey ignored her complaints. "C'mon, this is gonna be fun, and you'll know when we get going," Mikey said, grinning. He grabbed her arm and pulled her along. "Let's go, Cinderella!"  
  
"What if nothing suits me, though?" Prida moaned. "I mean, I've never seen me in a dress, you've never seen me in a dress - no one's seen me in a dress! How will I know what looks good?"  
  
"You'll know Prida, because I'll be drooling," Mikey joked.  
  
Prida rolled her eyes and slapped him playfully. "I really don't like this shopping-for-dresses thing."  
  
Mikey led the way into a fancy looking clothes store, Prida behind him.  
  
"Hey, don't worry, I bet they'll be so many things that look great on you, you won't know which one to pick. This is hard for me too, I mean I have to walk into all these clothes stores, no idea what I'm looking for here . . . I even have to keep this big secret from my bros, until they see you tomorrow - and I know their jaws'll drop when they see you; walking in with me of course." Mikey grinned.  
  
Prida's butterflies fluttered a little faster at the thought of her showing herself in a dress to everyone else. She had promised Mikey she would show him what they look like if she tried any on in the stores, and he would give rating out of ten.  
  
"Okay," Mikey said, coming to a stop in front of a dress rack, holding plenty of smart clothes. "Pick something that you like the look of, and . . ." he looked around for a dressing room. He spotted one. " . . . Go try it on."  
  
"Mikey," Prida moaned. "I really don't wan-"  
  
Mikey held his finger to her lip. "At ah, you promised!"  
  
So Prida found herself regretting her promise, and started looking through racks and racks, store after store for something she might like, and something that might go well. Actually all the things she tried on were presented with a 'growl!' from Mikey, and him pretending to faint in surprised. She was pretty embarrassed, but admitted it was sort of fun. And she was really surprised to find that Mikey was right, and that most of the clothes she did try on suited her perfectly. Mikey particularly liked a lavender colored dress that hugged her figure. He was pretty shocked to see her toned stomach, and sniggered to himself, thinking about how the guys' jaws WOULD most likely drop.  
  
"Mikey, stop drooling," Prida said after nearly two hours of this in and out of clothes stores. "People keep staring at you." She laughed.  
  
"Let them stare, I'll be staring at you tomorrow night!" Mikey grinned. "And so will everyone else." Prida went red.  
  
"What will - or did - you say to your brothers when you came out?"  
  
"I told 'em you wanted help picking out a present for Mai," Mikey responded, smiling.  
  
"Just don't tell or hint anything to them about this," Prida warned him jokingly. "Or I'll chop anything I buy into pieces and refuse to go to the disco."  
  
"I promise!" Mikey put a hand on his heart. "You will be walking in with me right? I'll lose my brothers, or tell them I've gone to the restroom, and we'll walk in together - everyone will be so jealous! I can't wait!" Mikey laughed as he imaged everyone's faces.  
  
"Yeah, okay, but if I throw up over you, you can't blame me," Prida bit her lip nervously.  
  
"Hey Prida," Mikey said, looking across the street.  
  
"Um?"  
  
Mikey pointed to a clothes store. "I think I found your dress . . ." He grinned. 


	33. Friday!

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"It's Friday!" Mikey yelled at two of his sleeping brothers, right in their ears. They shot up in bed, eyes wide for a second. Mikey grinned. He had been awake for a few seconds, and then realised what day it was, and decided his brothers needed a wake up call.  
  
"Mikey!" Leo and Raph said angrily, and laid back down, grumbling.  
  
Mikey jumped up and pulled their bed covers off them. They moaned tiredly and groped about for them.  
  
"Mikey, leave us alone," Leo said, face half buried in his pillow.  
  
"C'mon, time to get up, remember what's today?" Mikey questioned them.  
  
"No," Raph answered shortly, and yanked his sheets back, pulling them over his head.  
  
"You don't know?" Mikey asked in disbelief, as though this was the day he had been waiting for, for ages.  
  
"No! Get lost!" His brother shouted and rolled over again. Mikey tapped his chin and pounced on Leo's back, pinning his arms to the floor.  
  
"I'm not letting ya up till you guess what day it is!" Mikey said gleefully.  
  
Leo groaned and rolled his eyes. "Get off me Mike."  
  
"Not until you -" Mikey started to repeat, but was attacked by Raph, who grabbed his leg and pulled him off his brother in blue. "Hey!" Mikey was now pinned to the floor, as Leo flipped over and started to tie his brother up with his own sheets.  
  
"Brother down," Leo and Raph murmured and flopped back down on their beds, snoozing again.  
  
"You guys, untie me!" Mikey moaned, hands bound roughly with the white sheet he used to lay on, and then tied to his body.  
  
"Shut up Mikey," Raph muttered into his pillow, and groped about for Mikey's, which he picked up and dumped over Mikey's face.  
  
"Mmmgh!"  
  
()()()()  
  
"Alright, Baseball!" Donnie said enthusiastically as all four bros, including Matt and Tyson, were walking down the sunny field to the Sports Centre. Their first and second class of Friday was P.E, and Roxanne, whose dad was the P.E teacher, and Head of the P.E Department had just informed them that they were doing Baseball.  
  
"Right, about time we got to hit something," Raph said. Mikey edged away from him. He had still been a little moody since they had got in April's car.  
  
"Hey, it's just a game, just enjoy it," Leo said, then leaned closer and half whispered, "it may be our last game in this school."  
  
"It's just a game, enjoy it," Raph mimicked. "Forget how serious games can be when you play with the wrong people?" Raph side-glanced at Leo, and pretended to bounce a basketball.  
  
"I don't think this can be as serious as that," Leo said. "Besides, we made a deal, and I don't think we will this time. Tooks knows when he's beat." He grinned. (A grin that could make any girl melt because it was too cute!)  
  
"Right on," Mikey agreed, just as Prida walked up behind them, without Mikey noticing. "We're the mean, green fighting machines!"  
  
"Green?" Prida smiled behind them, making Mikey start. "I thought you were orange."  
  
Mikey laughed. "Yeah that too." He glanced at his brothers who were pretty close to biting their lips. Prida studied their faces, before blinking and smiling as Leo glanced at her. He frowned when she turned away.  
  
Roxanne was correct in saying that they had Baseball. After they had all changed into their kit, they were directed onto the field. Many people had excuses to skive off this class, so the boys' numbers were down, and the girls were even less. It seemed more girls skived PE than boys. But since there was a small group of girls, they joined forces with the boys. The two teams included both girls and boys. All four bros happened to be on the same team, along with Prida of course, with TJ, Michael and his girlfriend, and luckily Roxanne, who was about to be placed on the other team. Tooks was of course one of those participating in PE, and was by luck on the other team from them, along with his goonies, though Luke was forced onto Leo and his brothers' team. Mikey had asked the teacher if he could pitch, because he couldn't run very well on his injured foot. The teacher agreed.  
  
"Okay," Mr Johnson shouted over them all and dumping the equipment on the floor. "This team batting," he indicated Tooks' team. "You guys Fielding." He said to the other. They all moved out; the fielding team spread out on the field and guarding the bases.  
  
"Yo Prida," Mikey said with a grin, and winked, making his way into the bowlers box. She smiled back, knowing what he was winking about. He couldn't wait for her to come in that dress tonight, and he had asked how she was having her hair. She had tapped him on the nose and told him to wait until Friday night.  
  
"Okay Mickey," Johnson said to the first kid, a skinny, small kid who held the bat rather shakily.  
  
Mikey was tossed a ball by the teacher. He caught it with one hand, and tossed it into the air a few times, feeling the weight of it. He looked at Mickey, who was eyeing the ball as though it was a deadly snake Mikey was going to throw at him.  
  
"Go!" The teacher called, and stepped back, to the side of the catcher, who was Jay.  
  
Mikey placed once foot behind him to give him the extra force, and threw the ball, a little less harder than what he would have done, but he was going soft of this poor guy who looked terrified he might get knocked out. Perhaps he might have remembered what happened last time they played something with a ball that included the four identical bros playing.  
  
Mickey clamped his eyes shut and brought the bat round as hard as he could, hoping he could at least touch the ball. He did do, and it was a fairly good hit, unfortunately it landed straight in Donnie's waiting hands. He hadn't even moved.  
  
"Sorry, Mickey, you're out." The teacher told him. Mickey handed the bat to Ace, who stepped up, face set, and held the bat ready, knees bent, glaring at Mikey.  
  
Mikey forgot about going easy on this one. He brought his hand back and let the ball fly hard at the batter. Ace barely had time to swing, but he did do and it connected with the ball, making a loud CRACK, and was levitated into the air, aiming for Michael, who was running backwards, hands out. He tripped over his shoelace and the ball went past him; a second later Leo sped past him at about ten miles an hour after the ball.  
  
In that time Ace had managed to run the entire pitch, getting a homerun. He grinned and sat back panting, watching another kid pick up the bat where he had dropped it.  
  
Leo returned the ball to Mikey with a long, high throw, and jogged back to where he was, barely out of breath. Michael sheepishly tied his laces and went back to his spot.  
  
"Well done, Ace," Mr Johnson said, hands on his sides, observing the game with a satisfied face.  
  
After a few more excellent pitches from Mikey, Tooks' turn finally came, and he couldn't have walked into the batting box with an angrier face. He seemed determined to be able to hit this right at Mikey.  
  
And Mikey, who had worked out his face, was ready to duck fast. But before he did, he wound up his arm, tensed the muscles and lobbed it at Tooks, imaging him to be annoying Prida at that moment. It worked pretty well, it was such a good pitch that it could have been mistaken for a small white meteorite, fire an all!  
  
Tooks himself was surprised but managed to bring the bat around and whack it harder that Ace did, and it gave off a sound louder too. The ball was hurled away to Matt, who didn't move quick enough and was struck in the chest so hard people were surprised (later on) that his ribs hadn't cracked.  
  
Tooks had thrown down the bat and ran around the pitch, while all of the fielders and the teacher ran over to Matt, who was flat on his back with his hands on his chest, appearing to be more dazed that in pain.  
  
"Yo Matt," Mikey called to his friend, dropping to the floor. "You okay?"  
  
Mr Johnson crouched next to him, wincing slightly.  
  
"I'm . . . 'A' okay," Matt managed, smiling. "Yowch, man was that hard." He was helped up by Mikey and Leo.  
  
"Do you want to miss out?" Johnson asked, concerned.  
  
Matt frowned. "You kidding, no thanks, I'm staying in." He grinned at Mikey, who was reminded of himself. Actually Mikey's own personality caused Matt to say that. He wouldn't have if he didn't know what Mikey would have said if it was him who was hit.  
  
"Yeah, way-t'-go Matt," Mikey grinned, and everyone made their way back to their places; Tooks looked very smug, but still slightly annoyed that it didn't hit Mikey.  
  
"Okay guys, continue," the teacher clapped his hands, walking back. "Well done Jo, that was an excellent hit." Tooks smiled even more.  
  
Mikey was pretty steamed about Tooks doing that to his friend, and one of his pitches was a bit to hard and hit one poor kid on the head, knocking his out a bit. Mikey was pretty sorry about it, and his next pitch was bad. It was only those two however, and soon that entire team had batted. It was time to swap: Tooks' team was now fielding, while Leo and his brothers' team was batting. Tooks decided to be pitcher.  
  
"Okay, play."  
  
First up batting was Leo, who held the bat tightly, and fixed his eyes on Tooks, ready for the ball. Tooks enjoyed keeping him waiting. Then, without warning he brought his arm back and flung the ball, aiming, just as he tried while batting, for the face.  
  
Leo gritted his teeth as he swung back and then forward, the bat sent a jolt up his arm as it connected with the ball. The ball soared into the air, and Leo dropped the bat and ran, much faster than Tooks. The wind blew his hair scruffy hair back, revealing his whole bandanna. It felt good to be running for fun in open air. He could sense the movement of the fielders as they all ran to catch the ball. Leo passed all the bases, and reached home base, earning his team that score. The teacher praised him, and watched as the ball was thrown back to Tooks, who wasn't looking very happy.  
  
After a couple more batters, having been able to nearly get Mikey out because of his foot couldn't carry him quick enough, Tooks finally smiled when it came to Prida's turn. She didn't seem too thrilled bout him being pitcher, but she held the bat with a steady hand.  
  
Tooks tossed the ball to and from his palms, and then got ready to throw. Unlike the other times when throwing for the bros, he showed when he was about to pitch. Prida grasped the bat firmly, and readied herself for his pitch. He took his arm back, and threw it, smiling sickly at her.  
  
Prida brought the bat back and whacked it with all her force, pretty angry with Tooks and his sick grins. The ball rocketed away - straight back to Tooks and hitting him in the -"  
  
"Oooo!" The whole class, boys and girls said in unison. Most of the boys winced much more, and covered their own.  
  
Raph fell on the ground laughing as Tooks doubled over in pain, clutching his groin. Mikey grinned and winced at the same time, while Donnie and Leo laughed. They couldn't really share the pain, as they had never quite experienced it - or had any reason to.  
  
Tooks' friends ran to his side, along with a worried and wincing teacher. All of Leo's team was laughing or grinning, glad Tooks got what he deserved. Prida, who hadn't moved, was looking at what she had done. Sure she didn't like Tooks because he could be a complete idiot, but she felt bad for him now. But her little sympathy for him vanished as she heard Mikey calling her. She turned her head and looked at him, still holding the bat in the position she had hit the ball in.  
  
"Run Prida!"" Mikey laughed, while Matt shouted, "Thanks Prida!"  
  
Prida shrugged, remembering that Tooks had ran after Matt was hit, and dropped the bat. She flew around the pitch, laughing to herself along with others. She made a full pitch, and ran into a high five with Mikey, who was grinning. Raph was still laughing, sat on the grass.  
  
"Okay Jo, I think you ought to just stay still for a few minutes," Mr Johnson advised Tooks, who was looking pretty humiliated.  
  
But Jo Tooks winced and managed to get to his feet with a, "no, I'm staying in." He glared over at the four bros, who were still grinning, and Prida was actually looking empathetic about what she did. Tooks was slightly surprised he saw it on her face.  
  
"Raph, stop rolling around on the floor," Donnie said, grabbing his brother's arm and heaving him to his feet. "Tooks is back in the game anyway."  
  
Prida bit her lip. She felt pretty bad about what she had done. Sure Tooks was horrible, but she HAD known him for ages, and she knew not many things could humiliate him like that, and she just happened to hit him where it 'hurt' in front of his enemies, the guys.  
  
"Okay guys," the teacher said, clapping his hands to get attention. "Lets go in, we'll choose something else to play, I'll give ya your own choices seeing as how you have exams next week."  
  
Everyone seemed happy about being able to choose what they wanted to do, and rushed inside. Tooks was swept away by his friends, who were all shaking their heads and glaring not at Prida who had caused their friend's pain, but at the guys; maybe because they were the ones laughing the most.  
  
"That moment was priceless," Raph said happily, all were smiling as they walked into the Sports Centre and into the hall. "Way-t'-go Prida!"  
  
Prida grinned. "It was an accident! I never really meant to do that."  
  
"Yeah sure, it's okay, you can tell us you were that steamed you actually imagined it happening and it did!" Mikey said.  
  
"I don't think my images come true," Prida said. "I didn't imagine it anyway, I closed my eyes and whacked the ball. No magic thingy going on. There's no such magic anyway"  
  
Mikey's smiled faded and in its place was a small one. He looked sidelong at his bothers, who looked back. There were such things as magic, and he and his brothers were living proof. That kind of made Mikey nervous. He was still very different from everyone else. In a human body, but kept that way by some magic.  
  
Everyone soon got started in the next part of the double class with choices of Volley Ball, Rowing Machines, Table Tennis, Badminton or a little Basketball. Deciding they had had enough of Basketball, and that they had already played Badminton before in P.E (and that the guys wanted to do something different since they were convinced they weren't going to see a next P.E class), they decided to do something different. Prida and Roxanne both voted for Volley Ball, while Matt was keen on Table Tennis, Leo and Mikey both wanted to try the Rowing Machines, and Donnie, Raph and Michael were undecided.  
  
"Okay," Leo said, taking this into his hands. "We'll do Rock, Paper, Scissors for either Volley Ball or the Rowing Machines, since they both have two voters. Mikey," Leo put a hand on his brother shoulder. "I give you the honour for Rock, Paper, Scissors against them."  
  
"Prida, you go get 'im," Roxanne grinned to her friend.  
  
"'Kay," Prida smiled, and clenched her fist as Mikey had; they stood facing each other as though this were some serious fighting ring or something, looking in each other's eyes.  
  
"Commence," Leo commanded, with a grin.  
  
Both Mikey and Prida bobbed their fists in the air three times, and Mikey came out with his fist flat for Paper; Prida with her two fingers for Scissors.  
  
"Heh, we win," Prida stuck her tongue out playfully.  
  
"Damn, I don't like Volley Ball," Raph moaned, as Roxanne happily ran to the store cupboard and grabbed a ball and a net, while Prida grabbed the posts.  
  
"You've never played Volley Ball - properly, anyway," Donnie pointed out.  
  
"Stop moaning Raph," Leo said, then lowered his voice. "This is probably our last P.E class so enjoy it." Donnie nodded.  
  
The net was quickly set up by Roxanne and Prida and helped by Matt. Then they split up with Leo, Donnie, Roxanne and Michael on one side and the others on the opposite. TJ had disappeared to join someone on the Rowing Machines. The little dude seemed much less shyer than he usually was, and mixed with people more.  
  
Volley Ball wasn't that bad. Prida and Roxanne turned out to be as good at it as they were Basketball, which was excellent, and they both put up good fights against each other, thou soon Leo got in and the scores for his team went up. Michael came at the with a few good hits, but Mikey was there to hit it back. One time he and Matt stumbled over each other, and while they fell to the floor, Raph and Prida went for the ball at the same time, both hitting it and both knocking each other down. The whole of that team was on the floor, and so was the opposite team nearly, from laughing too much. But they did manage to hit the ball back over, and Mikey, who was on his stomach over Matt, stretched out and managed to 'Dig' it back over before jumping back up, followed by Matt, Raph and Prida, all slightly red-faced. In the end, it seemed both Leo and Roxanne's good Volley Ball skills earned their team the winning score, but barely. Prida put up a good fight and earned most of her team's scores. It was a happy end to the class, but Prida glanced over and saw Tooks still looking mad about the Baseball game incident. She put her head back down and walked quickly to the changing rooms.  
  
//  
  
"Was that wicked or what?" Mikey said happily as they walked out into the fresh air outside onto the field. He was referring to the games they had played.  
  
"Wicked," Donnie agreed. He was walking in the middle of Leo and Raph, with Mikey bouncing along in front of them walking backwards. Prida, Roxanne and her brother Dean were behind them, talking about near events, such as the disco. Some of their conversation floated into the ears of the guys.  
  
"Is Prida actually going to this disco?" Leo asked Mikey, who turned around casually so they wouldn't see him grinning.  
  
Mikey shrugged. "I'm not sure. Dunno, she said she didn't want to." He straightened his face and turned around, watching his brothers' reactions. They did look slightly saddened about it, because it could be the last time they spend time with Prida or anyone from this school, but Mikey couldn't wait for their reactions when they see Prida walk in with him . . . Of course he would have to shake his brothers off before he brings Prida in. Man, are those jaws gunna be hanging!  
  
"Oh, well, I thought she might come anyway . . ." Donnie said quietly. "We're still going, right?" He looked at Leo.  
  
"Yeah, we are," Leo replied, nodding. "I'm gunna miss this place . . ."  
  
"Hey, c'mon," Mikey said suddenly. "Don't look so gloomy, we don't know WHEN we're gunna change back, it could be anytime, most likely Sunday if any day, we still got a good day to get through, Saturday."  
  
His brothers smiled a bit, and the four brothers made the rest of the way in silence, listening to the conversation behind them. But when they had reached the lockers, Leo and Roxanne broke away from the little group and talked among themselves. No one could hear what they were on about, but Leo seemed to be blushing slightly.  
  
Their break time went pretty fast for twenty minutes, and their next class, English seemed to zoom by just as fast. Mikey kept saying it was because the disco tonight, and he told his brothers that it would go quick. His brothers didn't seem as enthusiastic as Mikey about the disco, and that was probably because they thought it would only be a little music and some food and drink. They didn't know that Mikey had persuaded Prida to come, and he had made her promise she had to dance with all of them, seeing as how he had told her that he and his brothers would be moving back to LA soon.  
  
Their very fast English class was just as boring as usual, and when the bell rang they all traipsed out, Prida feeling a little more and more nervous as the time seem to disappear.  
  
"Physics, man I hate Physics," Mikey moaned, as the whole gang made their way to the science block. Mikey didn't like English, and certainly didn't like Physics.  
  
"It'll fly by," Prida sighed as they took their seats. Mikey agreed. He just hoped this class went quicker than the last, even though THAT was quick. And Prida was right; the class went fast, and it seemed like they had only just started to write on paper before the end of the class came and they all packed their things and headed to the canteen for dinner.  
  
"Man, better get to the pizza quick Mikey, before time goes too fast and you miss out," Prida grinned. Mikey looked horrified at the thought of missing pizza again for a second lunchtime, and dashed inside the building before anyone else, and was first in the food line.  
  
()()()()  
  
"Last Biology ever! Last PSE ever!" Mikey shouted happily as the school day finished and they were walking out of their form rooms, in which they had had PSE. Leo, Don and Raph followed their hyper brother out of the upper corridors and downstairs to the lockers.  
  
"Whoa Mikey, you wanna like cool it down a bit," Raph said. "You might explode."  
  
"But guys, this'll be our first ever, proper disco with other people, and maybe the last time we might see them again," Mikey said. "I have reason to explode."  
  
"Just make sure you explode after we meet this magic dude," Leo said.  
  
They quickly left school, and made their way home, where Mikey reminded them every ten minutes that the disco will start at seven thirty until ten thirty. He kept counting down the hours and minutes, until his brothers had got sick of him and had locked him in the broom cupboard.  
  
()()()()  
  
Prida burst into her room and flopped down on her bed, spreading her arms out with her hair fanned out around her head. She felt her stomach was doing the twists. Why should she be so nervous about going to a disco. The last one she went to was with Mai and Korey, and that was one where Vanilla Ice played. It was the best party she had been to, others before that hadn't been so great.  
  
She stared at the newspaper clipping above her bed on the wall. The four figures were grinning, three standing up, one kneeling. Their grins were so familiar . . . as well as their eyes, through the bandannas anyway. Prida sighed, then frowned at the picture, staring at it . . . Bandannas . . .  
  
Closing her eyes and sighing again, she thought about the dress that was in her wardrobe, waiting to be used tonight. Mikey was really going to pay for this. Maybe she could still keep in contact with them when they moved back to LA. Of course she would, she wouldn't just let them go with only a goodbye. But when they go she wasn't sure. Mikey had just said that it would be soon.  
  
There was a knock at her door, and her sister popped her head around it.  
  
"Hey, want some help getting ready for this date with Mikey?" Mai asked, eyes glinting.  
  
Prida groaned. "It's not a date, Mai! It's just a little dancing and seeing my friends . . . and yeah you can help me with my hair."  
  
Mai chuckled, and walked into the room, asking what she wanted to eat before she went out in a few hours. Prida was too busy thinking about things to answer, and when Mai went out saying dinner will be pasta, Prida's mind was on something very strange . . . something that fit perfectly together, but still remained confusing, a mystery. Maybe she could get some answers out of the guys before the end of the night. She told herself she would enjoy it, and for one of these times she actually felt she was being true. Wonder if the guys could dance . . .  
  
()()()()  
  
Somewhere dark and hidden, the menacing voice of one feared Ninja Master spoke out into the silence, breaking it. The warehouse was always darker than the surrounding sky, and there were hardly any bright lights to shine in the place. Instead, the occupants saw by means of small, dimly lit light bulbs which hung from the high ceilings, so even the dim light was dimmer as it was raised higher than the weak light could shine. It did not reach the corners, and even the floor seemed shadowed. The black suited figures seemed at home in the dark, and their Master valued it as an ally. Their Master . . . he seemed to be waiting for something, but he had not let on yet. He mostly stuck to one of the office rooms on the higher floors of the warehouse, where only Master Tatsu, second in command, walked without fear. Tonight he made that journey to his waiting Master.  
  
Tatsu bowed after he had entered the dark room. The only light was from the moon, and Tatsu's Master could only been seen as an outline against the floor-to-ceiling window. He was facing the city, his back to Tatsu.  
  
"We are ready," Tatsu said shortly, in his gruff, low voice.  
  
Shredder didn't even turn around. He kept his masked face to the window; nothing moved, not even his cloak.  
  
"Good," he growled softly. "We do it . . . tonight . . ." 


	34. The Gang Together

Radical Transformation  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
"Mikey, you're not going out for another hour," April told Mikey, who was rushing around wondering what to wear, and then realized that all he had was his orange shirt and black jeans.  
  
"I wanna wear something different though," he moaned, stopping behind the couch, where his brothers were calmly watching the TV with Splinter.  
  
"Well, why don't you wear one of the blue jeans, and Leo or Don can wear your black jeans," Raph suggested. "It's different." He shrugged.  
  
Mikey frowned and rolled his eyes. "I wanna look a bit more different than that."  
  
"I'm sure April will lend you one of her skirts," Leo joked, keeping his eyes on the TV. Mikey pulled a face behind him, but Leo saw the faint reflection on the TV screen, and said, "I saw that." April tittered.  
  
"Ya have another hour, Mikey," Donnie reminded him. "Sit down, we can get ready in two seconds flat."  
  
Mikey gave up with a sigh, and flopped down on the floor in front of the couch. Raph used him as a footstool, and propped his feet on Mikey's shoulders.  
  
"Will this charming friend of yours be accompanying you to this party?" Splinter asked smiling, eyes on his sons, who looked at him as he spoke.  
  
"No," Leo shook his head. "She's not coming."  
  
"Oh, why's that?" April asked, walking into the kitchen and clearing up the mess of a small lunch by Mikey.  
  
Leo shrugged. "She said she don't like wearing dresses."  
  
"Is that all?" April's eyebrows rose. "I'm surprised you couldn't convince her it would be worth it, what happened to your charms, Mikey?" April grinned.  
  
Mikey kept a straight face. "I guess she's too strong to escape me." He couldn't wait to tell them that he DID persuade her to come. He had the charm!  
  
"Now that's some power," April sounded amazed.  
  
()()()()  
  
"Argh! Lookatthetime!" Mikey suddenly yelled, words falling into each other, making everyone jump, even Splinter looked slightly alarmed at the sudden outburst. Mikey jumped to his feet. They had been watching a good film, and the time almost flew by without them noticing.  
  
"Okay, this time I agree," Leo said, getting to his feet slowly, extending his stiff limbs. "We really should get a move on." He and his other three brothers looked at the clock, looked at each other, and all rushed upstairs in twos.  
  
"What are you guys wearing?!" April called up after them, smiling about something. "You guys have got on the only day wear you have!"  
  
The thuds stopped, as though they all stopped to look at each other and find this true. April glanced at Splinter, and they both heard, " Damn!" by four voices. April grinned, and walked over to the stairs. The guys appeared at the top.  
  
"Well, it ain't gunna stop me going anyway," Mikey shrugged.  
  
April started to make her way up the stairs. "Well, it's just lucky I felt generous when I first heard about this disco fever, and went down to a couple of clothes stores . . ." She walked into the guys' room, with them following, and walked up to the lone dresser table. She bent down and pulled open one of the draws. "Got ya colors an all," she winked.  
  
The guys looked at her and Mikey pulled out a blue-buttoned shirt with a white collar. Underneath were three other colored shirts and different jeans.  
  
"Gee, thanks Ape," Mikey smiled.  
  
"It was lucky those were in the sales," April smiled. "I'm not made of money, so I thought I'd buy them for you to wear while you're human, and then give them to my friend's son, or charity or something."  
  
"Cool, Ape, thanks," Leo said.  
  
April walked over to the door as Mikey gave Leo the blue top. "I guess I should leave you to change - and I think you should hurry." She walked downstairs and sat on the couch while the guys changed. Splinter looked at April.  
  
"I thank you for all you have done for my sons," he said with a warm smile that matched his warm eyes. "You have made them feel part of society, like a human. Something I cannot give them, and am afraid will not last very much longer."  
  
"At least they managed to experience it once," April said softly. "I know they don't enjoy it thoroughly because they feel they are now different from you."  
  
" . . . Yes, they are . . . but only in form, not in soul . . ."  
  
//  
  
"Looking good," Mikey commented himself as he looked into the mirror in the bathroom. He was wearing an orange-buttoned shirt, like Leo's, except that his collar was the same color with black stitching around the hem of his shirt and his sleeves.  
  
"Mikey, stop gawking at yerself and c'mon," Raph said, dressed in his own red shirt with black stitching running neatly around a pocket on his chest. He grabbed Mikey and pulled him downstairs, where Leo and Donnie were pulling on their sneakers. Don's shirt had a small pocket on the sleeve. They all looked incredibly cute, stood together with their baggy-ish, dark blue jeans on.  
  
"Party, party, party," Mikey was jigging, grinning. He couldn't wait until the guys saw Prida! He wanted to bring a camera. He stopped jigging and turned to April. "Hey Ape, why don't you come in, talk to the teachers - maybe have a little dance, heh." He laughed. He was in such good spirits that the others found themselves smiling without realizing it.  
  
"I don't think so Mike," April chuckled. "Some of those people are a nightmare, especially that Reily. And I'm sure you don't want your 'Aunt' there when you waltz with the girls." She grinned. "I know you Mikey, you'll be on that dance floor all night if you had enough people to dance with."  
  
Mikey smiled. "And I'm gunna try!"  
  
April laughed. "C'mon, let's get going." She went over to the door and opened it.  
  
"Have an excellent time, my sons," Splinter smiled as they passed him on their way to the door. "But always be alert."  
  
"Yes Sensei," they chorused, and bowed their respect before leaving the apartment, April locking the door after them.  
  
"I feel this night," Splinter said to himself. "Will not be a normal school one . . ."  
  
()()()()  
  
"Man, there's, er, a lot of people," Donnie observed through the window of April's car. She was going out with Casey so she didn't mind dropping the guys off. She had just pulled up outside the school, where quite a few people were hanging around in the gardens and walking in. Flashing lights danced on the floor just inside the doorway, and since it was dark, it looked like a really party.  
  
"Have fun," April grinned as they got out and slammed the doors, gawking at the scene. It felt so weird to be going to a party - and to be able to walk around without staying hidden in shadows for fear of anyone seeing them. They had visited some parties before, but had kept in the shadows and had not stayed for long, all except that one they had been to where they defeated Tokka and Razah, and danced away having everyone think they were wearing costumes. That had been fun, an experience they wanted to repeat. They seemed to have gotten their wish.  
  
Mikey closed his mouth and his smile slowed returned. He glanced at his brother, who were staring, and said, "C'mon guys, let's go party!" Mikey walked ahead, with his brothers behind him. They were well known in the school now, and most of the kids outside, making out on the walls of the front lawn and some just walking, said hi as though they were friends.  
  
"I'm guessing left!" Mikey shouted as a blast of music made all of them blink as they stepped inside. It was pretty obvious that the party was to the left, as that way was the assembly Hall, and the double doors were wide open, welcoming them in. The corridors they were in would have been very dark had it not been for the flashing lights of the equipment that had been set up on the stage to the very back of the Hall. The guys walked in and looked about. The dance floor was made up of a perimeter of tables and chairs, which people were sat at, either on their date's knees, on the table, three trying to succeed in sharing one chair and the smart people who sat at a table the correct way with a drink in hand and shouting at one another as loud as they could even though they were sat next to each other. The lights danced over them with a mixture of green circles, red ring lights, blue flashes and yellow patterns that moved around onto the walls, then the floor. Many other lights moved too fast to be able to follow then until they stopped and then whizzed around again. People on the dance floor were bathed in the color glows. They were all having a good time, and it was crowded.  
  
"Hey!" A voice called out behind them.  
  
They all turned around (without realizing they had walked further into the Hall), and came face to face with Matt, who was grinning, glad his friends could make it.  
  
"Glad you could make it!" He yelled above the fast pacing music that rattled their very lungs as the beat pounded through the air. "I've only seen Dean and Roxanne so far!"  
  
"Where are they?" Leo shouted, admitting to himself that he wanted to mingle and share the night with his friends. It would be their last after all.  
  
"I think they grabbed a table," Matt shouted, searching the tables and chairs through the bodies. "Dean was telling me how hard it was to find the perfect dress for his sister - but she's come up with a good one!" Matt raised and dropped his eyebrows, grinning. "Oh! There they are!" He pointed, and they followed him to a table with Roxanne and other boys, most likely Dean's friends.  
  
Roxanne looked great in the flashing lights. She was wearing a white dress that seemed to glow. It settled neatly around her legs as she was sat down, and reached her knees. The top of it was pretty eye catching, as it was pretty low. The straps crisscrossed and disappeared behind her neck. She wore white sandals. Leo smiled as her pretty face blushed towards his way. Her crimped, blonde hair was pulled back in a half ponytail, falling lighting on her shoulders. Her lips shone in the light as well as her earrings.  
  
"Hey," Dean said to them, sat next to his sister, who was sat at the edge of the table away from Dean and his friends.  
  
"Didn't you, er, have anyone to come with?" Leo asked Roxanne kind of awkwardly while his brothers turned around to see Tyson and started chatting to him.  
  
Roxanne smiled. "No, I came with Dean."  
  
The music that was blaring out picked up the heavy beat, and Matt started to mime the words.  
  
'Get up, get up, get up, drop the Bombshell . . .'  
  
He waved to someone over the guys' shoulder, and they turned around to see Michael walking over smiling; his girlfriend at his side wearing a tight, dark pink dress, which reached her knees.  
  
"Hey!" Michael greeted, wrapping his arm around her small waist. "Where are your dates?" He asked.  
  
"We ain't got dates," Mikey said, keeping an eye on the door as people flooded in, some people leaving for fresh air.  
  
"What? You guys?! No dates?!" Michael looked shocked.  
  
"Not yet anyway," Mikey grinned. "Hey Bonnie! Looking good!" He yelled, pointing out someone who had come up behind Leo, Don and Raph. They turned around to see Bonnie had joined their group. Like Roxanne, she had dressed for the occasion well too: She was wearing a red dress with black lace over it that reached below her ankles nearly to the floor, where it just showed black, heeled sandals which crisscrossed and tied by silver buckles. Her hair was pulled back by a sparkly hair bobble, letting her mid-length, light brown hair bounce and swing with her steps. Wrapped over her arm was a black velvet jacket to match the dress.  
  
"Hi guys," she said, grinning at Matt who was gawking jokingly. She pushed his shoulder giggling. "Hey, no staring!"  
  
"You know, I hope for a dance some time soon," Michael grinned and turned to his date. She smiled, and with a, "I thought you'd never ask," whisked him away onto the dance floor where they took hands and twirled to the quick pace music.  
  
"Aw, the joy of love," Mikey sighed grinning. His brothers turned around and raised their eyebrows at him. Mikey shrugged and then spotted the snacks table. "Oh yes! Food!" He grabbed his brothers and started to pull them over. "Er, you guys grab something to eat, I'll be right back okay? Stay there."  
  
Mikey left the group and walked out of the Hall and outside where people were still arriving. He stopped and leant against the edge of the door, watching the cars pull up, drop the kids off and drive away. Some came walking from behind the building, most had dates; but there were also many people in groups with no dates, just there for the fun. Mikey sighed. He wished he could have been here to grow up with everyone, be normal. But that just wasn't how it was suppose to be. Mikey knew he had to accept the way they lived, down in the sewers on their own. It was difficult, but they still had fun together.  
  
A couple of kids behind him walked out into the fresh air and bumped into him, muttering a 'sorry' and walking away. They looked pretty worn out, and they had only been dancing for a bit. Mikey watched them walk away, and his eyes fell on the car that was pulling up. He recognized the person at the wheel, and she spotted him and waved. He waved back and shifted his eyes to the person getting out of the car, saying something to her sister and blushing.  
  
Prida was dressed in a beautiful dress, flowing perfectly in the slight breeze. It was a lovely shade of dark purple, and flowed just liked water. It was definitely some sort of silk material, and it hugged her perfect figure around her waist, flaring off when it reached her hips. It reached just above her knees, and her long, slender legs ended in heeled sandals a lighter color of her dress, straps crisscrossed her feet. The top of it exposed a good dose of chest, but was covered slightly by the straps that tied behind her neck. Her red hair was pulled back sleek and shiny, plaited many times where it wound around on the top of her head, with the long ends of the plaits falling down her bare back; the dress met at the small of her back in a 'V' shape. Dangling from her ears were a silver pair of earrings of an intriguing symbol, glinting like the light in her purple eyes, which really showed with the dress she was wearing; And as always, around her neck was that silver twisted fireball necklace. She turned to see Mikey walking over to her, grinning.  
  
"Prida!" He said, pretending to stare in shock and then bowing like a polite gentleman. He held his arm out, grinning.  
  
Prida giggle and blushed bright red, while Mai laughed. People around them glanced once or twice, and there was a few from their year who knew Prida and stared.  
  
"I'll pick you up at ten," Mai said to her sister. "I'm sure this kind gentleman will take care of you, along with the other three." Mai grinned and drove off.  
  
Prida turned to Mikey, who wiggled his arm, indicating for her to take it. She grinned and looped her arm through his.  
  
"You - look - fabuloso!" Mikey said.  
  
Prida breathed, flattered. "Thanks - I was hoping I would be - but I didn't now because I've never -"  
  
"Prida! Don't worry, the guys are gunna be totally shocked with surprise when they see you - you look great!"  
  
Prida swallowed, her throat felt really dry. "Where ARE the others? You haven't told them yet have you?" Her heart was pounding with nervousness. Why was she so nervous? Was it because she didn't know what everyone's reactions would be to her wearing a dress? Or was it because she would be showing her hidden figure to her friends? Especially four certain friends - three now.  
  
"Nope, of course I didn't. I don't wanna spoil the surprise!"  
  
//  
  
"Hey Matt, wassup?" Leo looked at the friend who seemed slightly in the wrong mood for this atmosphere. Matt was munching carrot stick and staring into the hall with not much of an expression on his face. Before Matt answered a loud crunching noise made them look up to find Donnie crunching happily on the carrots and other snacks. He grinned and turned to watch some people nearby dance wildly, reminding him much of Mikey.  
  
Leo looked around wondering where Mikey could have gone, reminded of the wildness too. He had dashed off with an odd grin on his face, and Leo wanted to know why. Leo turned back to Matt to find his friend no longer looking like he wasn't enjoying it much, but he has straightened up and his mouth had fallen open. His eyes were fixed on something behind Leo and his two brothers.  
  
"Man that's a fast change in moods," Raph said, next to him Donnie shrugged and they both turned back to the table to pick out more carrots. They started to throw them into each other's mouths while Leo frowned and turned to looked behind his brother's at what Matt was staring at. At first he noticed most of the people he knew were staring wide-eyed at two people who had just walked in through the entrance to the Hall. Actually, as Leo's eyes fell on the people, he realized that they were all staring at just the one, who was arm in arm with his brother. Leo's jaw fell open and his eyebrows had reached their highest point. Walking in with a grinning Mikey was a really beautiful girl, though how Mikey ended up getting her Leo didn't know - but, as he looked closer, the girl's familiar purple eyes and necklace became clear, and Leo realized with a jolt and a sudden blink that it was Prida! `She looked great!` Was Leo's first thought, or more like `P- Prida - in - a - dress - at - a - disco!` Mikey had told them that Prida wasn't coming! Leo's heart just thudded s hard he gasped - how could he have not known it was her? Well, she did look really different from a distance, and Leo wasn't used to seeing her look so . . . thin! With her hair taken back and up from her face it had made her look very different; but as she and Mikey drew closer he realized her face was still the same, decorated with lip-gloss and earrings. She was smiling, cheeks red from all the stares - and Leo didn't blame her, but then he saw no reason for her to be embarrassed. Mikey was practically lost in his grin.  
  
Leo, eyes still unblinkingly fixed on Prida, poked Donnie in the side, who still had his back to her along with Raph. They had been picking at the food, still throwing it at each other. As Leo poked him, Donnie was put off and threw a chunk of cucumber in Raph's eye.  
  
"Yeah?" Donnie muttered, turning around to see what Leo wanted. He turned to Leo, but had only just faced him before his eyes shot to the girl walking towards them, his head followed. Donnie's mouth dropped open, and he slapped Raph on his arm.  
  
"Eh -?" Raph said, turning around with a plastic plate of snacks. He looked at Donnie, frowning. "What?" Shaking his head when Donnie didn't answer, Raph glanced at what his brother was staring at: Nothing, just some girl. He turned back around, but a second later Raph's neck snapped back round and the plate fell from his hand onto the floor, scattering the food. His mouth dropped open and he stood staring just like his brothers. They were stood in a line, identical faces staring at the same person.  
  
Prida felt like some amazing jewel, being stared at like this. Not that she didn't mind, actually she thought she would have hated it. But with her gaze mostly focus on her three identical friends, she managed to catch glances of her other friends out of the corner of her eyes. Matt had been staring, and she had seen Roxanne's surprised stare with a thumbs-up to go with it. Michael and his girlfriend had stopped to look and grin, and now everyone seemed to be over the great surprise and were grinning at the three brothers. Mikey sure was enjoying himself.  
  
"Told ya their jaws would drop," Mikey said to her, and they came to a stop in front of his brothers. "Hey, don't she look great?" Mikey grinned, and took one of Prida's hands and made her twirl in a circle, letting her dress fan out. He though she looked great, and her cheeks went even redder.  
  
Leo blinked and closed his mouth. "Prida . .. . you look - you look -" He smiled and then glanced sidelong at his brothers. He reached up a hand under Donnie's chin and closed mouth. It seemed to snap Don out of his gaze and he blinked, smiling politely to Prida. He glanced sidelong at Raph, and shut his mouth. Raph blinked back to reality and looked at Prida, still looking amazed, but apologetically.  
  
Prida was still waiting for Leo's sentence to end, she smiled, and Mikey left her side to grab some food, passing her a plate piled.  
  
"You look really -" Donnie began to say.  
  
"Great," Raph finished, and Prida blushed.  
  
"Mikey forced me to come, blackmailed me!"  
  
Mikey grinned, looking shocked. "I did not! I just bugged her a lot and she finally gave up. We can tell Ape that I HAVE got the charm!" He winked and crunched on a couple of potato chips, bobbing to the music blasting out. "And she's gunna dance with everyone here!"  
  
"No I'm not! I came . . . only because you forced me! I didn't say anything about dancing!"  
  
"Hey that's not fair!" Mikey said. "That's the whole point of a disco, to dance! And I believe your first dance is with yours truly," he grinned.  
  
Prida gave up with a smile, glancing at the others before she nodded in defeat.  
  
"Yay, alright," Mikey said. "Because you know this might be our last time together before we, er, move back to LA."  
  
Prida frowned. "When're you moving back?"  
  
Leo sighed and looked at the floor. "Tomorrow or Sunday, we're not sure . . ."  
  
Prida's smile faded, and just then the rest of the group joined them. Matt walked over with Tyson, Michael and his girlfriend behind them. They started talking excitedly to Leo, Don and Raph, while Mikey noticed Prida's sad expression.  
  
"Hey," he put his hands on her shoulders. "The past few weeks have been the best, thanks to you, but we'll never forget you, just remember that."  
  
Prida forced a smile. "I know, I'll never forget y - hey, I can't even believe I'm saying this right now! I never actually thought I'd be saying goodbye to you guys . . ."  
  
"It's not goodbye yet."  
  
Prida's smile was small, and with a sigh she turned her eyes down to the floor.  
  
"I know, but I didn't even imagine ever saying goodbye to you," she said.  
  
"Saying goodbye doesn't mean we're gone," Mikey lifted her chin up with his hand and smiled.  
  
"But it means I might never SEE you again."  
  
"Sure ya will, in here," Mikey tapped her temple, and she smiled. At that minute a girl of their age wearing a lovely white satin dress with wide straps and baby blue, velvety flowers over it asked Mikey if he would dance with her. Prida watched his grinning face walk off with the girl, and disappear among the dancing people.  
  
"Donnie said you'd always be there for me," Prida whispered to herself, now watching Matt walk over to another table to grab some drinks, and as Mikey appeared and disappeared through the mass of people.  
  
"Looks like Mikey has his first dance," Tyson pointed out, and everyone turned to watch the cute dude in orange spin a pretty girl around in a twirl before taking both her hands and swinging them around to the funky music; her hair bounced in its loose curls.  
  
"He's such a show off," Raph muttered.  
  
Leo nudged him with his elbow. "Well why don't you go show him you can show off better," he grinned, nodding his head towards Prida.  
  
"No way - you crazy? I don't dance," Raph said, tugging on the collar of his shirt.  
  
"Not yet anyway," Don muttered to Leo, smiling.  
  
"Hey Amba," Matt said returning with a drink and looking over to their friend behind them who had just greeted Prida. Amba was wearing a lavender dress that flowed loosely, staring with spaghetti straps over her thin shoulders. It had blue and purple sequins at the bottom in a flower design, showing white sandals. She looked very pretty. She smiled sweetly at Donnie, before glancing at the others and talking to Prida again.  
  
"It don't matter that you didn't arrange to come with anyone then, Donnie boy," Raph said. "We all met here anyway - and it will be easier for you to ask 'em to dance, since you got two who wanted to come with ya."  
  
Donnie went red. "What makes ya think I came here to dance?"  
  
"C'mon! You WERE gunna come here with Amba AND Bonnie!"  
  
"Oh go dance with Prida, Raph," Donnie said, trying to shut his brother up.  
  
"I don't dance."  
  
"It's a disco!"  
  
"So - here's food, I'll eat that, but I'm not dancing."  
  
"Guys will you just shut up and have fun?" Leo interrupted. "Donnie - Raph, you're dancing whether you like it or not, this is gunna be too funny!"  
  
Both Don and Raph glared at their brother humorously.  
  
  
  
  
  
Sorry I had to leave it there, but I thought I'd let ya wait for the next chapter which I promise is gunna have dancing in it [winks to Danceingfae] hehe. SORRY IT WAS SOOO LATE! I haven't been in the mood to write much, I think I'm fighting writers blocks, coz I feel awful as well. This chapter was just a get-together and descibe what who was wearing, I'll TRY and get the next chapter up as soon as I can . hehe. And thanks to Rebekah Brown - who the girl who danced with Mikey and Amba's dresses are her description, thank you!  
  
Oh and Caitriona Grady [looks at that VERY long review] thank you so much for the mixed comments in that, I appreciate someone pointing out my errors, and I swear when this is finished I will go back and correct em all. I'm ashamed of the mistakes I made, so if anyone finds anymore they have to shout at me and be harsh, lol. I hope ya enjoyed this chapter - and I'm sorry about any mistakes and the lateness - and not everyone has been intro-ed in this chapter for the dance [cough] Tooks [cough] hehe, I have to get writing more, actually this chapter might be replaced, so I'll letcha know when it is. Thankies! 


	35. Dancing

Radical Transformation

~

   "Whoa – man I need a drink!" Mikey exclaimed as he returned from his wild dancing, and leant on Leo's shoulder. He nudged his bandanna further up his head so he could wipe the sweat from his brow. The girl who had be waltzing with him flashed him a wave, which was no more than finger wiggling. Then she giggled and headed to the drinks table where her group of friends was, quickly getting into a huddle to ask for details about the dance she had just had.

   "Do you even know her?" Leo asked, watching his brother pick up Matt's drink from the table when his friend wasn't looking, and quickly slurp down the rest of it before putting it back down and acting innocent when Matt picked it up and frowned at the lightness of the polystyrene cup.

   "Must have drank it all," he muttered and went back to get another. Mikey laughed.

   "That girl?" He turned his attention back to his brother. "Well, kinda . . . she asked me for my name once around school."

   Leo rolled his eyes and looked to his right where Don and Raph were standing together. Prida was next to them watching the people dance. Leo realized Prida looked like she felt a little out of place there, she had come to a disco, dressed up specially and all she was doing was standing around. Leo nudged Mikey.

   "Yo Mike, Prida's looking a little bored . . . And _did_ come here to dance as you told her . . ."

   "Yeah," Mikey said slowly.

   "Well why don't _you_ dance with her?" Leo pressed.

   Mikey's face blanked for a second, before regaining its grin and nodding. "I was gonna anyway – don't you think that I forgot."

   "Well if girls keep coming up to you and asking you to dance I wouldn't be surprised if you _did_ forget."

   Mikey rolled his eyes, figuring Leo might just be a little jealous of the fact that someone asked him to dance. It was quite funny actually.

   "Hey Prida," Mikey yelled over the noise of the booming dance music. She turned to look for who was calling her name. "It's dance time, right?" Mikey grinned.

   "Oh, er – well, I can't dance, Mikey –" Prida started.

   "Yeah right!" Mikey grabbed her hands and pulled her towards the dance floor, she couldn't help but laugh while still trying to pull away. But Mikey knew his friend better. He laughed as she stuttered awkwardly, trying to tell him that she couldn't dance. He took her hands and twirled her around, her dress flared out and she laughed as she spun. She almost tripped over her own, and suddenly she seemed quite clumsy.

   "No – Mikey – really, I wanna go get a drink –" Prida tried, but Mikey only snickered and, leaning back, started to spin in a circle on one spot, holding her hands and forcing her to lean back and move in the circle too. They spun, holding hands until Prida let out a shout of glee and laughed so much one hand let go and she almost flew back, only to be pulled back by Mikey, and she fell into him laughing. They both toppled to the floor and the people around them chuckled and shook their heads.

   "Man you're dangerous," Mikey grinned as he helped Prida up.

   "You're insane! That wasn't even dancing – and you had me scared I might fall," Prida said, having enjoyed the little dance anyway.

   Mikey said, "I'm insane? Took you that long to figure it out?" He laughed again as she slapped him playfully, and he took her hand again and twirled her.

   "I figured it out long ago," Prida grinned as she twirled in, met his other hand and twirled out again. The song had changed now.

   "I was warned about the strangeness of some songs by Matt," Mikey said, listening to the new song.

   "This one isn't that bad," Prida smiled.

   -_There's a chill in the air (chill in the air) _

_   You hear a creak on the stairs (creak on the stairs)_

_   You got a knock on your door (knock on your door)_

_   Is there anybody out?_ -

   Prida closed her eyes as she twirled again, enjoying the music and the movements to go with it. This was something she would never forget – getting to dance with her friend, something she had thought she wouldn't do. She knew she would have regretted it if she hadn't.

   Leo folded his arm with a smile on his face. He was glad Mikey had made Prida happy now. She had looked a tad forlorn a minute ago. Leo reached behind him to the food on the table and grabbed a carrot stick. He then turned and joined in the conversation Don was having with Tyson. Raph had just been pestered to dance by a girl from the group of the girl who Mikey had danced with. He slowly looked at her, giving her his 'I don't think so' stare. She got the hint, shrugged and walked away. Raph turned back to the conversation, only to find everyone staring at him.

   "What?" He frowned as if nothing had happened.

   Leo and Donny only shook their heads, and continued their conversation about the exams next week. Of course Don had struck up the topic, and then Leo had to remind him that they probably wouldn't be there for the exams, which made Donny's shoulders drop. He had been giving out easy formulas for Math to his friends, who had admitted that they were a little stumped when it came to algebra and stuff like that.

   "Thanks Don, I think that's made it easier," Tyson smiled gratefully.

   Leo leaned closer to Donny and said in his ear, "yeah Don, they can't possible get lower than an A grade now." Donny shrugged and helped himself to the corn snacks in small wicker bowls.

   Mikey and Prida both fell into the group, flushed in the face and gasping for a drink, laughing about their wild dance.

   "He is mad," Prida stated. Mikey grinned and helped himself to a few potato chips, which made him even thirstier. Prida smirked at his face, and he ran off to the drinks table to grab something cool.

   "Good to see you're having a great time," Leo smiled.

   "Yeah, I didn't think I would, but Mikey's pretty amazing – he can make me laugh anytime. And I actually had fun while I'm dancing . . . I haven't laughed like that in ages . . ."

   "Good job Mikey changed your mind about coming," Leo said. "He kept telling us that you didn't want to come."

   "Yeah, I, er, asked him to keep it secret until I actually found something to wear," Prida smiled. "It was worth it when I saw the looks on your faces!" She smirked and looked at Raph and Don.

   Mikey jogged back with two drinks, and handed one to Prida. She thanked him and they both gulped it down, trying to beat the other. Mikey won, and emitted a loud burp.

   "Hey where's Matt?" Prida asked, placing her cup down on the table and looking around.

   "He did go to get another drink a few minutes ago," Leo said, also looking through the mass of people. He spotted their friend standing at the end of the drinks table, watching people dance with a little less than happy face.

   "What's wrong with him?" Prida wondered out loud.

   "Looks bored," Mikey said, then grinned. "But I know what will make him happy. Prida go ask him to dance."

   Prida studied Matt's face, which wasn't easy from that distance, but he did look . . . sad? Yes, maybe he was feeling left out, after all he had said a while ago that he never comes with anyone to discos, and then his best friend came with her.

   "Okay, but this is to cheer a friend in need up," Prida said. "Don't think I'm doing this all night, it's just a disco." And she began to walk over to Matt, slowly.

   Mikey grinned. "Yeah right, she still has to dance with you guys," he said to Leo, whose face blanked.

   Prida kept her eyes on Matt as she walked up to him, making sure no one else was with him just in case he had found a date. But no, he was still alone when he spotted her and smiled.

   "You look great, by the way," he said as soon as she came within earshot. "I didn't get to tell you back there."

   "Thanks . . . . Hey, er you're looking a little down over here," Prida said kindly.

   "Oh, damn," Matt apologized. "I'm fine really . . ."

   "Oh," Prida rocked awkwardly on her feet, glancing behind her to Mikey, who made motions with his hands for her to ask him. She turned back around. " . . . Wanna dance?"

   Matt looked a little surprised, but smiled and said, "sure." They both walked further onto the dance floor and awkwardly smiled at each other.

   "Cute," Mikey said, as his two friends clumsily tried to decide the right way to dance to this song. Finally they just held hands and leaned in a little closer, moving in a circle to the song. As Matt's back turned to Mikey and Leo, Prida, over his shoulder, gave them both an embarrassed smile and then a face that told them how awkward a few moments ago had been, glaring humorously at Mikey.

   Donny and Raph moved over to their other brothers, all watching their two friends.

   "That Matt with Prida?" Raph asked. The lights had now turned dark, and only a few dim, flashing white spots of light danced over everyone in the Hall.

   "Yep – hey who wants to dance with yours truly?" Mikey said, feeling he should make the most of the night quickly. His brothers frowned at him and took a step away. This only made him laugh.

   "Fine, you don't love me," he pretended to be upset and stuck his bottom lip out.

   "I guess not," Raph said and flicked a carrot stick at him. Mikey retaliated but Raph bunched his fist and Mikey jumped back wisely.

   "Hey – whoa, you can't hurt me in a disco! How unfun is that!"

   "Maybe not fun for you, but it is for me."

   Leo rolled his eyes. "Guys, will you knock it off, you're gonna end up tearing each other apart soon and that's not a nice memory to leave on."

   Mikey looked at Leo. "Y' know I've been thinking . . . well, why can't we just, er, write to Prida after we leave – I mean we could direct her letters to April's and pick 'em up there. And not just Prida – what about Matt – and Tyson," he said turning to Donny. "And . . . Roxanne," he said looking back at Leo.

   "Mikey," Leo sighed. "We can't send off letters for the rest of our life . . . we're never gonna see them again, and writing letters will only make it worse for you – and no doubt they're probably ask things like 'when are we next coming back to stay with our aunt' or 'can I have your phone number?'" He mimicked in a different voice.

   Mikey's eyes softened. "What's wrong with phone numbers?"

   "Because hearing them over the phone and writing to them will only wanna make you see them – and I . . ." Leo shook his head and looked into the crowd of dancing people. " . . . I don't want you guys to be hurt."

   Mikey's eyebrows furrowed in a sad frown as he studied his brother's face, who wasn't looking at him. Don and Raph glanced at each other and then back at Leo.

   "You're too protective Leo," Raph said in a low voice; frowning at his brother. "I'm sure we can take care of ourselves – and if Mike wants to go ahead and give his little friends and Prida his phone number then it's his god damn right to!"

   Leo looked up sharply as Raph's voice got louder. He frowned angrily at Raph.

   "You just don't care! You don't see what I do! I know that eventually it will get too much for all of you! I try to protect us – while you just risk our lives –"

   "How the hell can giving out a phone number or writing a letter risk our lives?" Raph yelled, which really didn't seem that bad to other people because of the loud music. "It's just a stupid letter to a bunch of friends who we'll never see again!"

   "It can lead to things –" Leo began, but stopped and stared behind Raph, Don and Mikey, who all turned around to see Prida frowning irritably at Raph. Clearly the phrase 'bunch of friends' was not a nice description about her and the others and how the tone in his sentence was so dispassionately said. She had heard most of the argument, after coming back from the dance with matt.

   The music in the background became clearer as no one spoke for a second, 

-_You can't run - you can't hide _

_ From the beat inside of you_ -

   "Oh, look I didn't –" Raph started to say.

   Prida gave him a confused and angry look, turned and disappeared into the crowd of people.

   Raph's shoulders and face dropped and he stared at where she disappeared, realizing how harsh he must had sounded.

   "See, already people are getting hurt," Leo's voice managed to reach his ears past the thumping music.

   Raph's face tightened angrily at Leo's words but he did not turn around to face him. Mikey was staring in the direction Prida had left. Donny was silently chewing on a potato chip he had picked out the basket. 

   "I think you oughtta apologize," Mikey said, looking slightly cheerless.

   Raph felt like blaming Leo, like it was his fault that made him angry and careless. Leo had to be overprotective of them – even though they were all capable; they were ninja, they were strong, there aren't many things that could even get a scratch on them. Why does he have to be like that? They were just as strong as he was – or didn't he think that?

   "Hey Raph, you gonna dance with me tonight?"

   Raph frowned and broke out of his thoughts to see his brothers a few meters away. He had moved away from them while he was thinking, and now he turned around to look at a pretty girl, with a bit too much make-up and a very flashy belly-top above her tight jeans. The face was familiar and unwelcome. 

   Raph eyed her, wondering why she wanted to dance with him. They weren't exactly on speaking terms.

   "No," he said flatly, and walked around her searching for Prida. Ci Ci watched him, and then looked at the other three, eyeing the purple-clad guy.

   Tyson walked over to Leo, Donny and Mikey. "Hey Don, I heard Bonnie talking to Amba about getting you to dance." He raised and dropped his eyebrows, grinning. Donny smiled nervously, no idea what to say to that. His cheeks flushed even more when Ci Ci asked him to be her date.

   //

   Prida crossed her arms and leant against the wall across the other side of the Hall from the quadruplets, thinking. She wasn't upset, just . . . surprised to hear Raph say that. Maybe she didn't know him that well, or all of them – come to think about it, she really didn't know as much as she would have liked to. _Maybe I'm just being stupid, Leo told me Raph has a temper – maybe what he said was just the carelessness of it . . ._ She herself had just gotten angry just hearing him being angry. Prida shook her head to herself and listened to the music. But a few seconds after she had abandoned her thoughts, someone spoke behind her, and the eerie thing was, the voice spoke softly, but was completely clear over the music.

   "Your Prince has arrived . . ."

   Prida turned around to stare into the face of Jo Tooks. Prida was pretty surprised to find how . . . handsome he looked tonight, with his hair combed, gel-free, sitting perfectly over his attractive features, a lose strand falling over his eye, and his smooth grin in place. It was a very different Jo Tooks who looked as absolutely drop-dead sexy as the guys.

   "Tooks?" She frowned, not really asking, but more or less telling herself it was him. The beating in her chest was not longer the blast from the music, but from her heart. _Man did he look good_, _if only he wasn't such an ass most of the time_.

   His response was only a slight indication of his head behind him, and without missing a beat he picked up her left hand and pulled her away from the wall and into the crowd of people, where she followed him, amazed he hadn't already said something idiotic to impress her or something. She wanted to ask him if he could even dance, but she didn't want to speak in case he replied in his stupid tone; she didn't want to hear him sound like an ass. He began to dance with her, with both hands wrapped around her slender waist, pulling her much too close to his body. He danced slowly with her in a circle, even though the music was not slow.

   -_I don't know why_

_   I try to fight the Chemistry–_

_   I can't hide it _

_   Every time your body's next to mine_

He swung her around, picking up the pace more to the music's. She was actually smiling lightly, yet she was still frowning at him. 

   -_I don't need a book to show me how_

_   I don't need an English teacher_

_   To help me to say I want you now-_

Prida was swung so fast she felt dizzy, and then she was snapped back, bumping noses with Tooks. The flashing lights had been turned off, but now they flashed back on and danced over his face, letting Prida see his grin, and it was then Prida seemed to snap out of her trance and notice that look that always made her want to slap his face. She frowned disgustedly, realizing she was dancing with this 'thing', and turned quickly to get away from him, but his grip on her hand was strong, and he pulled her back.

   -_I'll give it up_

_   Yes sweet honey you win-_

   Her hand hurt from where it was jerked, and she tried again to break away, but he spun her again, and she lost control. She felt pathetically helpless as she was spun forcefully here and there just so Tooks could keep dancing with her. She kept losing her sense of balance, so she didn't know when she was going to fall, or throw.

_-No one's gonna tell me wrong from right (oh no)_

_   Lovin' you is all that matters _

_   Baby I'm here with you all the night-_

   She was beginning to feel sick: sick from the spinning – and sick because she was dancing with Jo Tooks, who she had hated for years, but had known since elementary school.

//

   _Just how big is this Hall?_ Raph thought to himself, wondering where a girl could get to, especially one who stands out over prettiness – and then he saw the dark hair whip around her face as she twirled in someone's arms. Raph felt slightly disappointed that she could find someone else to dance with so quickly and cheer up with, but then he saw that her face was far from merry. And he saw who was pulling her about. With a growl he pushed two people apart and started to storm over to them.

//

   Prida's hand was in pain now, but she also felt slightly sick. She wanted and tried to pull away, but every time she tried he would pull her back so fast she would lean almost to the floor, arms length from him, and he would pull her back before she could gather herself together again. He pulled her to his body again, circled, and forced her, gently but forcefully, back so she was draped over his arm, looking upside down at everyone. Man did she feel sick. She caught a glimpse of a red shirt, but she was pulled back up. Now she felt woozy and weak, and her head leant on his chest, desperate to get rid of her dizziness. But, with her aching hand in his, he spun her out again, less compellingly, and she closed her eyes as her free arm stretched out from the spin. Suddenly someone grabbed her it, and just as Tooks was about to pull her back, the new hand pulled her away from Tooks, and since Jo's grip was less tight since she wasn't resisting any more, her hand pulled free from his and she fell into the new person, who had a red shirt on.

   "Hey? Prida you alright?"

   The person had grabbed her arms, holding her up, but her head lolled as she was shaken, feeling weak from sickness to look at them. But she could tell from the voice who it was. She felt stupid.

   Raph looked at her closed eyes. "Hey." He shouted. He lifted her chin so she could look at him.

   But as soon as Prida leveled with Raph's eyes, she was yanked away yet again and held at the side of Tooks while he glared at Raph. People who were dancing closed in, making Raph lose sight of Tooks and Prida. He angrily shoved them aside and spotted the two again.

   "Leave me alone," Prida shouted, attempting to pull herself away from Tooks. Handsome or not she was pretty angry with him. How could she have thought she could stop Tooks being an idiot by not talking to him? Stupid!

   And again the world blurred and she was beside someone else, having just been whirled away from Tooks. Raph stood in front of Prida and glared at Tooks, at the same time Mikey appeared through the crowd behind Prida, having seen most of the commotion. He frowned at the Tooks and Raph stare-duel and turned Prida around.

   "You okay, Pri?" He asked concernedly, watching her face. Her eyes were half closed.

   "Get me a drink," she sighed, and lent her arm on his shoulder.

   "Why don't you take a hike, and get lost," Raph snapped to Tooks, fists bunched.

   "Why don't you mind your own business?" Tooks snapped back.

   "I think you killing my friend IS my business!"

   Tooks, growling like Raph does, threw a punch at Raph's face, but it was caught in Raph's hand, and he was about to take his own shot but some wild dancers bumped into both of them and they fell over. A few 'sorries' were yelled, but like Raph and Tooks cared about that when they were scrambling back up to tear each other's throats out. But before they could even get back to their feet Mikey grabbed his brother and threw Tooks a glare.

   "He's not worth it Raph, leave the idiot," Mikey said, and pulled his brother away to where Prida was standing. They watched Tooks glare at them, and then disappear as the space that they had fallen into was filled.

   Mikey and Raph turned to Prida, who was fanning her face.

   "You okay?" Raph asked, placing a hand on her arm.

   "Drink, drink, drink!" She said, trying to lighten everyone.

   It worked, Raph chuckled and Mikey grinned. 

   "Okay dudette," Mikey said, putting both hands on her shoulders and steering her around people. "Let's get that – er – _those_ drinks!"

   They headed over to the drinks table, where Prida downed two drinks and sipped on a third while Raph apologized for what he had said. Prida said it was she who had overreacted about it, and that she knew he had been mad when he said it. She didn't ask what the topic that had made him say it was, though.

   "Hey Prida – where'd Matt go?" Mikey asked, suddenly remembering his friend.

   Prida stopped drinking. "He found his own date – or I should say she found him."

   "Who?"

   "No idea, but he was happy dancing with her."

   Mikey smiled. This was good, at least then Matt would probably have a girlfriend by the time they leave, and wouldn't be alone. After all, his group of friends had been pulled closer in friendship because of them, so it wouldn't be too hard on them all when Mikey and his brothers left.

   "Hey Pri, wanna dance?" Mikey asked, looking at the time. It had already been a while into the night, and he didn't want to spend any of it to the side not doing anything.

   "Oh, er, loved to Mike, but my hand is killing me from where Tooks crushed it," Prida held it up, making it limp.

   "Jerk," Raph growled, referring to Tooks of course.

   Mikey glanced at his bro before taking Prida's crushed hand gently, and bowing like a gentleman.

   "Well I'll just have to be real careful," he grinned, and kissed it, making Prida roll her eyes.

   "Fine, but no spinning," She held her index finger out to make her point.

   "Okay!" Mikey said, and pulled her away from the drinks table, where Raph shrugged, picked up Prida's drink and downed the rest of it.

   "I still feel sick though," Prida moaned Mikey wrapped his arms around her waist, picked her up, spun her and dropped her, grinning. "You said you wouldn't spin!"

   "I was just turning you around, I wanted to keep an eye on him," Mikey said, eyes narrowing at someone behind Prida. She knew who he was on about.

   Raph saw Tooks as well, and was about to go tell him to shove it, when someone spoke to him, again.

   "C'mon, just one dance," Ci Ci flashed her eyelashes once and smiled as sweetly as she could manage. She had had no luck with Donny, damn his shyness.

   Raph frowned at her. "No." Raph turned back to watching Mikey and Prida, but the annoying girl beside him stepped closer and watched with him. With an annoyed sigh and a roll of eyes Raph left her and walked over to his other brothers.

   "Hey where's Mikey?" Donny asked as he joined him, Leo and Tyson.

   "Dancin'."

   Leo looked through the crowd and saw his brother with Prida, wondering if Raph apologized to her.

   "Took you both long enough to find her, what'd you do, rescue her from other guys?" Leo joked.

   Raph fixed Leo with a stare. "Yeah."

   Leo frowned. "Who?"

   "Tooks. The obsessed weirdo was jerkin' her around," Raph through gritted teeth, though his voice remained level.

   Leo's face darkened at the sound of Tooks' name, and his eyes narrowed. Donny had frowned irritably at the name.

//

   "Okay Mikey, I need another drink. Lemme go!" Prida laughed. Mikey was dancing with another girl (the one he had first danced with) at the same time, and tired to spin them both without them colliding.

   "Okay," Mikey said, letting go of Prida's hand and taking the other girl's free hand in his. They continued to dance wildly, which seemed to be Mikey best dance style. The girl was really having fun, laughing away with her cute seem-to-be date.

   Prida shook her head grinning at the two, and then made her way over to the drinks table where she grabbed one of the many polystyrene cups and poured herself a drink. She slurped her it while watching the people dance and have a good time, then she looked at the clock on the wall above the doors and realized she had already been there half the time they were allowed; and she knew she would have to make the most of the rest of the time. Which meant, she smiled to herself, that she would try and get the other three brothers to dance. She wondered if they would just shake their head and she would have to use Mikey's scheme and just bug them until the gave up. She grinned evilly to herself, put the cup down and walked over to the group of the three brothers and Tyson.

   They were grinning at Mikey, who could be seen through the crowd because the people steered clear from them. The girl seemed just as good-natured as Mike did.

   "Hey, did the dance get to rough for ya?" Leo grinned as Prida joined them.

   "No," she said casually with a growing smile. "I had to grab a drink . . ."

   Leo smiled, bobbing on the spot to the music.

   " . . . And I wanted to dance with you."

   Leo stopped dancing and looked at her as though she had just said something totally crazy and he wasn't sure he had heard her correctly. She grinned while Don, Tyson and Raph turned to listen.

   "W – er . . . say what?" Leo said, eyes brows now high on his forehead without them appearing to have moved.

   Prida grinned and took the cup he was holding out of his hand and on the table behind. She grabbed his sleeve and started to pull him slowly to the crowd of dancing people.

   "I said, 'I want to dance with YOU' . . . You don't want to dance with me?" She knew this would work. Man she wanted to burst out laughing at the look on his face. She knew he hadn't really expected her to ask him.

   "W-w-w – well I can't, er, dance," Leo stuttered, aware he was being led away from the safety of the food table and that he couldn't exactly put on the brakes. He could hear the sniggers of his brothers and Tyson behind him, and ahead, behind Prida, he could see Mikey laughing.

   "Neither can I so that makes us even!" Prida said, and with that she clasped his hand tightly and, using her own weight, spun Leo so he was now facing towards his brothers and Prida could give a thumbs-up to Mikey.

   Leo face looked slightly sick, and his expression was clearly one that read 'help?

   Prida snickered, and playfully spun herself into Leo's arms, while he stood there, moving a step forward slightly against the pull, and then she twisted his arms so that he spun under her arms. Hands linked and arms crossed over each other's, they both did the same again, and spun under arms, Leo moved himself without Prida pushing him. He soon started to smile, and while he was enjoying the so-called-dancing, he tried to keep the message on his face that he still objected to it.

   "You know you like to dance!" Prida shouted above the sudden booming music that blasted through the Hall as the song ended and another started to jig up straight after.

   "This is dancing?" Leo joked.

   Prida shrugged. "Okay, this is –" and she pulled him closer and wrapped her arms around neck. "It helps if you put your hands around my waist." She wanted to burst out laughing, and she would feel bad for making Leo so embarrassed later – right now she wanted to dance, which surprised her, because she came in this hall wanting to stay hidden to the walls and maybe even carry out a small conversation with her friends. She did not expect to dance with Matt, let alone Leo. Mikey, yes she did expect it; she could predict what he was bringing her there for.

   Knowing he would look a fool if he just stood there with his hands suspended in the air at the sides of her waist while she had her arms around his neck, Leo slowly put them around her waist as though she were so delicate he might have injured her if he moved faster.

   "Okay – yeah, this is dancing," Leo agreed, a look of total embarrassment on his face. He was still smiling, and he was doing his best not to look at Don, Raph and Tyson, and at Mikey who had joined them, all were grinning at him.

   "C'mon Leo, step lively dude," Prida said, and picked up their slow pace, so it was pretty much cool dancing in a circle, not too slow and not too fast.

   "You are deliberately embarrassing me!" Leo exclaimed, starting to get used to this dancing.

   "Now why would you be embarrassed?" Prida asked, with a false air of wonderment. She watched his face expression, and grinned as he narrowed his eyes comically at her.

//

   "Who has a camera?" Mikey called out jokingly, grinning with the rest. "Man, our 'fearless leader'  - and the look on his face was more like the 'fearful Leader'!" He slapped high-fives with Donny and Raph, and turned back to watch the dancing.

   "Man, I will never let him forget the one thing he is bad at," Raph grinned. "dancing."

   Tyson tilted his head and made a judging expression. "Actually he's quite good."

   "Yeah but let's say he's not!" Mikey said.

   "You're just jealous," Donny smirked. "You've just got the disco groove, Leo's got the disco moves." He defended his brother. It was quite true that Leo was a pretty good dancer with a partner, as evidence is shown right in front of them; but on his own he was terrible – at least when they were a few years younger.

   Raph and Mikey just looked at Donny with one raised eyebrow, and then they turned back to the food table, hoping to scoff down a few more snacks before the other could eat more. Of course the chances that Mikey won were high.

//

   "They're busy eating now," Prida informed Leo, watching her friends over Leo's shoulder. "Tyson and Don are talking – you're no longer being sneered at."

   Leo shrugged and pretended he didn't care. "like I care, let 'em sneer if they want."

   "Yeah, I'll have THEM up here soon too," Prida grinned, eyes glinting mischievously. She and Leo were still moving in, roughly, a circle. "What's Donny dance like?"

   Leo thought about that for a second and a half. "Pretty good I think; he dances good with Mikey."

   "With Mikey?" Prida laughed.

   "Yeah, those two can be quite funny when they want to be – but I know that Donny's probably the best singer outta us lot."

   "Cool, I'll have to have him sing to me before you leave," she smiled, though she guessed Leo would place the credit of the best singing voice on one of his other brothers, when she actually thought he might have made the best singer.

   "Don't get your hopes up, he'd be too embarrassed, but I expect a brain like that could learn how to dance quickly in a matter of seconds. So I say he's a pretty neat dancer." He smiled fondly.

   Prida laughed. "I know how Mikey dances – wildly, and let me guess, you have no idea how Raph dances because . . . you've never seen him dance?"

   "Correct guess," Leo confirmed. His eyes rose to the ceiling as he listened to the new song that had started. It was a song that could either have a fast dance, or a slow one, though most around were dancing fast, and Leo found his hands in Prida's and she was spinning around on the spot with him, having a great time.

   -_True to your heart_

_   You must be true to your heart_

_   That's when the heavens will part-_

   Leo thought about the song lyrics. _Great, _he thought_, start a song that's on about being true just when I'm dancing with Prida . . . who I haven't exactly been telling the truth to . . . _And as the song continued Leo started to feel real guilty. Why? He didn't know, but he felt it was for him and his brothers' protection that no body knew who they really were. But he really wanted to tell Prida that they weren't who they appeared to be. They weren't . . . human. But then listening to himself think that in his head sounded really crazy. Who would believe him if he told them he wasn't human? And besides, he couldn't risk anyone telling people. Maybe Raph was right and he was being too overprotective, but he didn't dare stop, he feared something would happen if he wasn't, as his brother put it, overprotective.

   Prida frowned, seeing Leo's expressionless face. She could actually see his eyes clouded over with thought. What was he thinking?

   -_When all the world around you_

_    It seems to fall apart_

_   Keep on Believin' baby_

_   Just be true to your heart . . .-_

   Man just hearing that song gave Leo the urge to tell Prida he wasn't actually going back to LA, in fact they hadn't even come from LA! But he kept his mouth shut, and blinked himself back from his thoughts. Prida was watching some other people dance.

   "Hey, I hope no one thinks I'm gonna be doing this for the rest of the night," Leo said, drawing her attention back.

   She grinned as the song ended and Leo bowed like it was an old-fashioned dance where the partners ended the song with applause and a bow to each others – so Prida followed with her own curtsey, tripped and fell on her butt. She laughed and picked herself up.

   "No, I don't think they'll expect you to dance for the rest, but they do expect you to dance with Roxanne," Prida replied grinning, and walked back to the food table with him.

   "Hey L-EE-o," Mikey said resting his arm on his brother's shoulder. "That was some pretty smooth dancing, really convinced me you we desperate for the toilet!"

   He and Raph laughed cruelly and slapped each other a high-five, while Donny looked at Leo and waved a hand dismissively at the two 'evil' bros.

   "They're just jealous," he said. "You're gonna have to show Mikey how to REALLY dance, Leo – and you can show Raph HOW to dance."

   This time it was Leo and Donny's turn to snicker and slap a high-five, though a little less enthusiastic than the other twos'.

   "I dance perfect already," Mikey crossed his arms.

   "Like I _want_ to dance," Raph put in, rolling his eyes.

   Donny turned to Leo. "But, I gotta admit you did look very funny at the start!" Raph and Mikey started laughing again.

   Leo tilted his head to lean towards Prida, and raised an eyebrow at her. She smiled.

   "Well Donny, let's see how funny YOU look when you dance!" She said, and grabbed his hands before he could back away.

   "Oh – but I don't – wha -!" He was cut off as he was pulled away from the table. He managed to see Leo's grinning face, and he already felt his cheeks beginning to flush red with heat.

   "C'mon Don, you'll love dancing!" Prida teased, avoiding the other people who were partying.

   "No really – I really can't –" Donny said. Why did he sound like Leo?!

   "Go with the flow, dude," Prida encouraged. She would have him dancing yet!

   "Give it Turtle Power!" Mikey yelled to them, one hand cupped around his mouth the other in a fist held in the air. He grinned, but when Leo, Don and Raph glared at him, and Prida and Tyson frowned, he quickly realized what he had yelled and said feebly, "Flower power? Boy power . . .?"

   Donny exhaled nervously, hoping no one would make too much about that. His eyes returned to Prida, who was frowning softly at Mikey, as if she was fixing things in her mind. That didn't make Don feel any better.

   "He's, er, obsessed with turtles," Donny said. "His favorite animal."

   Prida looked back at Donny. "Yeah? Oh . . ." She looked back at Mikey, watching him fidget uncomfortably. "Turtles are cool . . ." She turned back to Don again. "So, Leo tells me you're a great singer." She smiled as he looked at the floor and chuckled, slightly embarrassed.

   "I don't sing so how should he know?"

   Prida shrugged. "No idea, but I believe him." She smiled sweetly, and twirled into him holding his hand. They said nothing but laughed a little as they danced, less wild than Mikey, less slowly than Leo. Then Prida's soft frown returned.

   "Donny," she said, and he replied with a 'hm?'. "Remember when you said you'd always be there, you all would?"

   Donny looked at her, wondering where she was getting, and why the soft, almost sad tone.

   " . . . I really believed you, trusted you . . . but I have a feeling . . . that promise is gonna break . . ." She was almost asking him if her prediction was correct.

   There was a frown on Don's face now. He looked at her, and then at the floor, remembering that night at her house when he had told her he and his brothers would always be there for her. Then he remembered how Mikey had wanted to write to his friends after they had gone. Directing the letters to April could work, and probably would work. But then Leo's warning about the 'questions' in the letters floated into his mind. They would surely ask about phone numbers. _We could get a cell phone_, Donny though with a chuckle. Mikey would do anything for a friend, and Leo would do all he could to keep his brothers happy and living, maybe they could write.

   Finally Donny said, "I may not always be there for you in person . . . but I will always be there for you in other ways."

   Prida thought Don meant the same as Mikey; that he would be in her heart even if she could never see him again. She nodded when he looked at her to see her reaction.

   "I heard the argument about writing letters," she said. His expression was uncomfortable again. She continued. "I don't know why Leo doesn't like the idea . . . but how can it hurt? Do your stepparents not like the idea of their address being handed out?"

   "No – I'm sure he – I mean, they, wouldn't mind that . . . but Leo's just . . . well, er, he just sees it as unsafe. He's way too protective, and we just can't get through to him sometimes . . ." It was sort of true.

   Prida strongly felt the urge to ask who this 'Splinter' was. Or  'Master Splinter' as she had heard Raph and Mikey call him. Who do you call 'Master'? It seemed weird, very weird.

//

   "Mikey, you're such a loud mouth!" Raph said to his brother.

   "Hey, I said sorry!" Mikey loudly, defending himself. "It's not like everyone stared at us, pointed and shouted 'look! It's those mutant turtl-"

   Raph clapped a hand over Mikey's mouth and the other on the back of his head, glancing around and giving quick glances to people who looked. Leo shook his head and massaged it with his hand.

   "Mikey, I think it'll be safer if you just glued your mouth shut for the rest of the night," Leo sighed.

   Mikey removed Raph's hand and looked slightly mad. "I didn't really mean to say it . . . it's just a good job we're changing back soon then."

   Leo looked at his brother's face. He could tell he didn't mean it.

   "Any more mess-ups and you're dead," Raph threatened lightly, poking a finger at Mikey, jabbing his nose.

   "Jeeze, it's not like I'm gonna shout out that we're mutant turtl-"

   Leo's hand was blocking his mouth now, and all three brothers' eyes followed a group of staring girls as they passed. They would have heard what Mikey might have said.

   "Just shut up!" Raph said when they had passed and Leo stepped back from Mikey, glaring at him.

   "It's not like anyone would suspect anything," Mikey said, now rubbing his face where two hands had been slapped across it. "You BOTH worry too much."

//

   "Friends," Prida suddenly said, smiling.

   Donny frowned. "Yeah, we'll stay friends when we leave, no question about that –"

   Prida laughed. "No, Friends! The series. This is the theme to it!" She snickered at his face as he listened to the song that had now started.

   -_No one told ya life was gonna be this way_

_   Your job's a joke, you're broke, your love life's D.O.A_

_   It's like you're always stuck in second gear_

_   And when it hasn't been your day, your week, your month, or even your year_

_   I'll be there for you, when the rain starts to pour_

_   I'll be there for you, like I've been there before_

_   I'll be there for you, 'cause you've been there for me too_-

   Donny hummed the tune in his head, and then stopped suddenly. _Hey, what is this? Play-the-song-to-make-you-feel-guilty-night?_ Donny thought.

//

   Mikey was bobbing to the music while Leo and Raph watched their brother dance. Raph had a horrible feeling Prida was going through their friends and his brothers, and she had yet to dance with him. He shivered.

   "Hey, you guys," Mikey said, stopping his continuous bobbing. "We have less than two hours left, and after that . . . I guess we meet with an old guy and our life . . ." He trailed off.

   Leo nodded at his brother, knowing what he was thinking. He wanted to change back mostly because he didn't want Splinter feeling left out of it all, since Leo and his brothers were having a great time in there human life.

   _Yeah, when we change back, it'll be for the best . . ._

~

Songs: 'Things That Go Bump In The Night' by Allstars; 'Best Inside Of You' by Autograph; 'Give It Up' by Evelyn (Champagne) King; 'True To Your Heart' by Stevie Wonder and 98 Degrees; 'I'll Be There For You' Friends theme song.


	36. Put Together And Concluded

Radical Transformation

"So anyway, there was this man who went into a bar every day, and he always ordered the same thing: Three pints 'a beer. And after a week, the bar guy asked him 'why do you keep drinking three beers?' And the man –"

   Matt was walking over to Leo, Raph and Mikey, with his 'girlfriend', telling her a joke. She obviously didn't mind because she was grinning, waiting for the joke to come to its point. But Matt stopped to say 'hi' to the three brothers, and to introduce his friend. Then he continued, slightly to the side of the group.

   "Heather?" Mikey said, repeating the girl's name to his brothers as Matt continued talking. "He's doing alright then."

   Leo smiled. "Good, he won't take you leaving too badly then if he has some else to talk to and joke with."

   Mikey's shoulder dropped slightly as he listened to the joke. "No, I guess not . . . Well, I guess that's good . . . for him."

   "Hey," Leo said, smiling and putting his arm around his brother's shoulders. "You'll still be the joker of our group when we go back, right?"

   Mikey smiled. "Right!"

   "And you'll be . . " Leo said, looking at Raph, who looked back with a raised eyebrow, waiting to hear what Leo was about to insult him with. "You'll still be the . . . the . . ."

   "The hothead," Mikey finished, grinning, arm around Leo's shoulders too.

   "I was trying to keep it nice, but I guess that's the nicest thing, Raph," Leo said, tilting his head with that smile for the cheeky effect.

//

   Don had now moved to the drinks table, gulping down three cups whiles a few people stared, and Prida had seen Tyson on his own and started talking to him. A few seconds after Don had nearly drowned himself, he brought a drink over for Prida, and she drank it thirstily.

   "Hey Tyson, where's your date?" Donny asked, wondering why Tyson was alone.

   "After seeing the way your brother, Mikey danced, she had begged me to let her dance with him," Tyson grinned. He then looked through the crowd and pointed. "They're over there."

   Prida and Don looked and saw the wild Mikey grooving away with Tyson's pretty girlfriend, who was having a blast. Mikey had a way with everyone; he could make ANYONE laugh, even in the worst of times.

   Prida laughed as she watched Mikey. "C'mon," she said to Don. "Let's see what your other brothers are up to. Probably 've eaten all the food, including the table."

   Don chuckled and they made their way over to where Leo and Raph were talking to Matt and a girl who had not yet been introduced to Donny, but Prida had known her after her little dance with Matt. She was pretty, with light brown hair, crimped and to her shoulders. She wore a white, sequined dress.

   "Hey guys," Matt said, first to see Don and Prida walked over to them. "This is Heather, Don."

   Don smiled politely and Matt carried on with whatever he was talking about. Tyson joined them a few seconds after.

   "Hey Donny," Leo said. "Enjoy your dancing?" He grinned.

   "Yeah, I did," Donny said, smiling, watching Leo's grin turn into a smile, and Raph seeming to be moving away from Prida, who was oblivious that he was looking at her like a bomb that would go off if you moved too fast or if you showed too much facial expression.

   Donny leaned over to Prida's ear. "I think you've tortured three of us enough already, what about the forth?" He grinned as Prida's smile slowly grew. Her eyes darted to where Raph was, behind Matt, pretending to watch the other people dance.

   "Okay, torture four coming up," she said, and moved around their little group to where Raph was standing, but before she got there, her hand was grabbed and she looked up at Mikey.

   "Hey, c'mon, the party's missing ya!" He exclaimed, and before she could say anything, he pulled her into the mass of dancing people. She grinned, thinking how lucky Raph was then. But she'd get him next time. Grinning, she joined Mikey and Tyson girlfriend in a little wild dancing.

//

   _Phew, man that was too close,_ Raph thought, watching Mikey drag Prida through the crowd. His nervous heartbeats started to settle down. He caught Prida's eye through the crowd, and he didn't like that glint in her eye or that grin._ Restroom, restroom, where's the restroom?! Maybe I'll stay in there 'til Mikey exhausts her._ He stopped and snorted to himself. He, Raphael, was fretting about dancing. Well, he had reason to, he couldn't dance. Never had. Leo and Donny were fine, they knew they couldn't dance, and Raph and Mikey had known that they couldn't dance. But his brothers didn't now anything about his own dancing skills. They were terrible; at least he thought so.

   "Hey, wanna dance?"

   "No!" Raph yelled, and turned around. Ci Ci was there again, grinning at him – though the grin faltered a bit when he shouted at her. She rolled her eyes and moved away.

   "Hey I though you were –" Leo said, coming up behind his brother with Donny. He looked out to where Prida was with Mikey. "Okaaaay."

   "Lucky," Donny muttered, smiling.

   "Dunno what ya on about," Raph said, pretending he hadn't a clue that Prida had almost forced him to dance with her, and was stopped by Mikey.

   "Um mh," Leo said, with his all-knowing smile.

//

   "Okay, seriously I feel like I could die of too much dancing!" Prida shouted at Mikey, who looked as though he could carry on for another few hours. Tyson's girlfriend looked how Prida felt. She was red in the face and fanning herself every so often while they were dancing. Then suddenly, someone grabbed her hand again, but this was not Mikey, nor was it any friend. It was the all-annoying Tooks come back to pester her again.

   He pulled her away from Mikey and Tyson's girl, who both had their eyes shut from laughing at some stunt Mikey had just done.

   Prida wrenched her hand from Tooks' grasp and gave him a really irritable glare.

   "Look Tooks! I don't wanna dance with you, so just go away! Take a hint!" She felt really angry now. The first time when she had been in her dreamy stupor over his good looks was not going to happen this time, she was too fed-up with him.

   But, being Tooks, he didn't take hints, and he didn't take 'nos'. He grabbed her again and swung her around, with a face set with determination that he was going to have this dance with her. The song that had just boomed on couldn't have been a better one, and Prida had to smile inside about it.

_   -You think you've got you way_

_   But baby there's catch_

_   Don't need your foul play_

_   Now you have met your match_

_   You think you've got control_

_   But that won't last that long_

_   You thought you wore the crown_

_   Honey you were wrong-_

   She managed to twist from his strong grip and duck under his attempt to grab her back. She moved back quickly and stared at him with eyes that even he could tell hated him at this minute. He was rooted to his spot as they stared at each other a few meters apart. Then he set his face and walked over to her and gently took her hands. She allowed him to put his hand around her waist and start to move about, dancing. He kept his eyes locked onto hers, and she stared into his face with her own expression square jawed. Then, when she felt she had moved close enough to Mikey and Tyson's girl, she broke away from Tooks as he was twirling her out.

_   -You had me taken in_

_   But now I found you out_

_   And I won't go through that again_

_   You've always had to win_

_   You'll have to go without_

_   You don't know where to stop-_

   He gripped her arm and held her there as she turned her head to glare at him, without words. He froze for a second, staring into her purple eyes and then pulled her in to himself again, twirling her and ending it with her bending her spine back and him bending over her, noses almost touching again.

_   -(No, no, no) Go, go, go, go, go I'll get over you_

_   You drive me crazy up the wall, think you're Mr. Know-it-all_

_   Go, go, go, go, go I'll get over you_

_   You drive me crazy up the wall, goodbye Mr. Know-it-all_

   Okay, she was getting sick of this again. She felt she was vulnerable here, and he seemed to keep her in this position longer than she would have liked. She wriggled free and fell to the floor, angry with him for even daring to annoy her again. But a quick shadow passed over her and she looked up to see her savior, again standing between her and Tooks. She almost laughed because she seemed like the typical damsel in distress, and Raph was perfect for the hero model. Instead she smiled and stood up, watching the tense hero and the angry Villain, in fact, as he stood there, his back to her, she had the feeling Raph had been an actual hero against a much worse opponent. That was just silly, who could be worse than Tooks? She wiped the frown that had creased her smooth forehead and strained to hear the conversation between Raph and Tooks. Even though she could tell they were shouting, she couldn't hear them, but she could see Tooks' mouth moving. Then she looked to the right of Tooks and saw his snotty friends join him, glaring at Raph. Mikey had now seen and joined in, shouting at Tooks. It was weird to watch, but it wasn't as if Mikey was very angry, just trying to make Tooks reach a point. Tooks yawned wide and rudely, and, acting as if Mikey and Raph weren't there, waved a hand to his friends to move, and then disappeared, filing out of the space they had created in the mass of dancing people.

   "Sorry dudette! I never saw you were gone!" Mikey shouted as he walked over to Prida.

   She smiled. "No worries, I coulda handled him."

   "What? From the floor?" Raph said, to her right. He joined them after checking to see if Tooks wasn't still hanging around like a fly that won't go away no matter how many times you hit it.

   Prida's eyes wandered down to his hands, and a smile crept onto her face. She looked at his face at the same time she took his hands in hers. Mikey grinned.

   "Oh no," Raph said, backing up, hands still locked in Prida's. "I am NOT dancing."

   "Oh, but I've already danced with Leo, Don and Mikey –"

   "Exactly why you don't need to dance with me – we're identical so we're the same –"

   "Raph you're such a sore loser!" Mikey said, and ran back to Tyson's girlfriend who was joined by Tyson when Mikey was dealing with Tooks.

   Prida looked back at Raph, grinning. He looked at her, almost fearful. It was quite funny.

   "No – no, no, no, no!" Raph said, as she held his hands high and twirled under them, smiling sweetly. She froze for a split second listening to the mood of the song, and then she wrapped her arms around his neck, as he stood there with his bottom lip pulled down in an almost horrifying expression.

   "Not getting away again," she teased, in an evil voice. She really wished someone would film this so she could look back and see just how good at embarrassing people she was. It seemed that Raph was an easier target for this sort of thing, probably because dancing was a weak spot. It made her want to laugh out loud, but she couldn't do that in Raph's face, that would be just TOO mean.

//

   "Guys! Guys!" Mikey shouted, running through the dancing people to Leo and Donny, and Matt and Heather. "Look – look – look!" He pointed through the people with such a big grin on his face it was catchy, and the other four had a confused grin on their faces before they saw what Mikey was pointing at.

   "Yeah, go Prida!" Donny cheered, grinning.

   Through the crowds it seemed only Prida was moving or enjoying herself, while their brother stood, as red as his shirt, looking as though he wished the ground would swallow him up.

   Leo was laughing now, and Matt and his date were grinning, while Matt was trying to explain to Heather why it was so funny.

   "Leo, this is your chance to show him HOW to Dance!" Donny said, giving a sly, sidelong glance at his brother.

   "Forget Leo! I'll show him!" Mikey said, and jogged away.

   "Why couldn't we have brought April's camera?" Leo asked rhetorically, shaking his head.

   "You know I'd be operating it, and you'd be caught on camera as well," Donny grinned, nudging Leo with his elbow.

//

   "C'mon! It'll be JUST this dance! Then you can go back to eating potato chips and carrot sticks!" Prida begged.

   "No – Prida – I don't – I can't dance," Raph tried to explain.

   "What happened to the heroic guy I knew?" Prida said, letting go of his hands and opened them, palms upwards. "He could kick butt, he could fight back, but he can't _dance_?"

   "Don't gimme alla that!" He said, shooting his index finger at her, trying not to smile at her determination to get him to dance.

   Mikey bounded up to them both. "Hey Raph, want a pro to show ya how its done?" He grinned.

   "I don't need anyone to show me how it's done! I just need t-" Raph said, starting to turn away with intentions of returning to the food table, reputation unscathed.

   Prida felt very much like Tooks did when he didn't want to let her go without a dance between them. She grabbed Raph's hands again and turned him around, with a look on her face that begged him to dance with her.

   "Please…?" She said.

   The look on her face was very hard to turn away from, and Raph knew he'd say it before he could stop himself.

   "Alright!" He shouted.

   Her face split into a grin, and Raph kicked himself mentally. That Prida-look was very powerful.

   Raph shook his head at himself, but a smile was creeping on his face as Prida took his hands again and started to swing them a little, to get Raph moving. With a long blink he started to copy Prida's way of dancing.

//

   "Who's da best?" Mikey grinned, walking back to his brothers who were watching their other brother on the dance floor.

   "Prida?" Donny suggested.

   "No. Me!"

   "You didn't get Raph dancing, Prida did," Leo pointed out.

   "Yeah but my being there must have had some power over her to be able to conjure that much invisible force over Raph and get him to dance."

   Leo and Donny slowly looked at Mikey with frowns. Mikey shrugged, turned and watched the dance.

   Tyson joined them with a cup in his hand. "Hey, where's the fourth?" He asked, noticing one of them missing, and it wasn't the one who he thought would have been.

   "Dancing." All three grinned, and Tyson's eyes wandered to where they were looking.

//

   "Hey, you're getting' into it," Prida grinned as they both raised their linked hands and twirled under.

   "I wish I was getting' out of it," Raph said, grinning.

   "Oh, hey – I've heard this song from a movie," Prida said suddenly, referring to the new song that was now playing. It was a song with a tune that put a smile on your face, and put you in a happy mood.__

_   -Do you remember that day? (That sunny day)_

_   When you first came my way_

_   I said no one could take your place_

_   And if you get hurt (and if you get hurt)_

_   By the little things I say_

_   I can put that smile back on your face-_

   "From what movie?" Raph asked, twirling her around her own orbit.

   "'An Extremely Goofy Movie'", she grinned. "It was a good movie!" She added seeing the weird look he was giving her. "Don't tell me you don't watch cartoons now and then?"

   Raph said nothing, but continued to 'dance'. Actually, Prida was surprised he wasn't tripping over his own feet. And he was pretty good at the speedy dances.

//

   "Hasn't Raph supposed to have tripped over by now?" Leo asked, sounding a tad disappointed.

   Donny, who was stood next to him boogying to the music as well, looked at Leo with a grin.

   "Actually, I think Raph dances pretty good for a beginner," he said. The music really seemed to be making him smile. He felt like nothing could upset his last night as a human.

   Leo looked at his brother in purple and couldn't help but grin also. He started to bob his head to the music, and then started to clap his hands to the beat. In a few seconds he and Donny were both moving about, dancing by themselves, on their spot, grinning.

//

   Raph was surprised he was actually dancing, and was not embarrassed by it. In fact . . . was he _enjoying_ it? The music seemed to have given him his grin and content mood, but Prida's laughing made him grin most of all. He was happy he could get someone to laugh.

   Prida, who had broken the link of her hands with his, was just doing random movements, swinging her arms, and shuffling her feet this way and that. She felt she had gained a gold medal when she heard Raph laugh because of her crazy dancing.__

_   -And it's alright_

_   And it's coming on_

_   We gotta get it right back to where we started from-_

   "You can be as crazy as Mikey if you're given the chance, " Raph lightly insulted.

   Though she didn't take it as an insult. "Thanks!" She said, grabbed his hand and started twirling. Her dress flared out. Then she said out of the blue, "You guys said you've never been to a Disco or anything, but you dance like you've been to tons!"

   "I'll take it as a compliment," Raph grinned. "We're just real quick learners. I would say you picked up a few dance moves from Mikey though," Raph laughed as he watched Prida's dancing. 

   "Yeah, I can learn fast if I wanna –"

   "Hey, is that . . . Leo?" Raph said, staring over Prida's shoulder. She turned around to see one of the other three brothers walking, more like being pulled, away from the table by Roxanne.

   Prida grinned. "Yep, that's Leo with Roxanne." She saw out the corner of her eye that Mikey and Donny were smirking at the poor guy. But then Donny's grin was wiped when someone came up to him and after a few seconds discussion was taken by the hand and coaxed away from the food table as well. It was Amba Jasins. They both laughed.

//

   Mikey was clapping away to the music, watching all three brothers. He saw someone coming towards him from his right side and he looked into the smiling face of TJ.

   "Hey TJ, where ya been?" Mikey asked, suddenly thinking that TJ had disappeared for a while.

   "I, er, well – I asked someone to dance," the shy guy said. "And she's . . . cool."

   "Well done TJ!" Matt said, turning around from his conversation into theirs. Their shy friend grinned and looked at his feet, going red. He had obviously been with her all this time. That was another good thing Mikey realized; TJ would be so less confident of himself when they left – man, he was making it sound like him and his brothers were role models or something.

   "Mikey?" Someone said.

   Mike turned around to find Bonnie standing beside him. He smiled and nodded. She was obviously unsure which one he was.

   "That's me," he said friendlily.

   "Feeling left out?" She asked, kindly, but there was a little mischievous something in her eyes. "Wanna, erm, dance?"

   Mikey grinned sweetly. "Sure."

   Matt and TJ watched him walk off with Bonnie, and they turned back to their little circle.

   "Whoa, all four of them up there now," Matt said. TJ chuckled.

   "I still don't know which one's which," Heather said, squinting at the four separate brothers.

   Matt smiled, and, again, went though his friends' names and their color. Heather would get it eventually.

   A few minutes later when Prida thought her torture should come to an end, she allowed Raph to dash off for the drinks table, with his face still red, avoiding his brothers' grins as he passed them. She went back to the food table where she found Matt, Heather and TJ in a little group.

   "Hey TJ!" She said when she reached them. She hadn't seen him for a while. "Where did you go to?"

   "Got himself a date," Matt said, grinning. TJ looked down at his feet again, smiling. But Matt then went on to teasing Prida about her 'date' and her dance.

   A minute later Prida was frit to death by Leo, who had come back to the food table and had walked up behind her. She put a hand on her chest and gave him the wide-eyes look.

   "Oops, sorry," he grinned. The hair that had been tucked under his bandanna had come loose, and it now hid most of his bandanna. It sort of gave him a rogue look. He pushed up his bandanna and wiped his forehead with the back of his arm. "Man, it's hot in here." He spotted a pair of fire exit doors there were into the shadowed walls of the Hall. He walked over to them and gripped the handle.

   Roxanne who had just come back from the drinks table, said, "You can't open those doors, they're jammed pretty good –"

   With a moan of metal on wood, Leo pushed the handle down and the doors opened. A cool draught immediately wafted through.

   Roxanne stared. "Well, at least, none of the teachers or anyone could open them . . ."

   Leo turned around, dusting his hands. He stopped when he saw everyone's raised eyebrows. He shrugged and gave a nervous chuckle.

   "I guess it was loosened from all the attempts to open it," he said.

   "Who's showing himself out now?" Raph said lowly behind Leo, with a drink in his hand.

   "How was I supposed to know that one was jammed?" Leo snapped. He turned away from Raph and stared out the doors. They lead to a small, enclosed garden with a small pond.

   Everyone seemed to move closer to the door for the cool breeze. Donny and Amba joined them, then a few seconds after, red in the face, came Mikey and Bonnie, both grinning.

   "Cool air – cool air!" Mikey gasped, and rushed outside. But as soon as he had jumped outside a familiar song struck up, and Donny grinned.

   "Hey Mikey!" He shouted, and raised his index finger, signaling Mikey to listen. It was Tranquiller.

   Mikey rushed back in, saying, "Cool song – cool song!"

   Everyone else started to grin and chuckle as the two goofs started their own dance version on the song.

   "Yeah! Sock it to me baby!" Mikey said as he and Don danced time. Then came the bit they both loved.

   "Ninjitsu!" They shouted, on the 'Tranquiller' bit.

   "Ninjitsu?!" Matt laughed. Prida remembered that name. Leo shook his head.

   But as soon as the Tranquiller song had started, it was finished quickly, and the song that followed it sounded just as familiar as the previous one. It was only the starting music, but the guys could never mistake this for another song.

   "YEAH! C'mon guys!" Mikey yelled, grabbing Donny and Raph as he rushed to the dance floor. "Leo!"

   Leo laughed, forgetting about everything except remembering how they danced to this song and how it had started. He hadn't thought about that night for a while.__

_   -Yo! It's the green machine_

_   Gunna rock the town without being seen_

_   Have you ever seen a turtle get down?_

_   Slammin' and jammin' to the new swing sound_

_   Yeah, everybody let's move_

_   Vinilla is here with the new jack groove_

_   Gunna rock, and roll the place_

_   With the power of the Ninja Turtle bass-_

   It was almost exactly like that time at the other disco, Leo realized. They were in the same positions as they were before, with Leo and Donny to the side, Mikey to the front and Raph to the back. Man, did he miss this dance! It felt so good to be doing this again. Leo looked and saw the dancing people had created a circled perimeter around them, watching and dancing at the same time. Leo could feel his heart grinning as well. He saw his friends grinning and cheering. Matt and Heather were trying to copy the dance; TJ was dancing on his spot with Tyson and his girlfriend. Bonnie and Amba were laughing . . .

   And Prida was stood, staring as if she had seen a ghost, with her mouth open, and her eyes on the four brothers. For a long second she closed her eyes, and a high-speed flashback played in her mind. She had gone back to that night when Vinilla Ice actually had played this song, and when all those people in black pajamas had flooded in, and then those two weird looking beast things had been beaten by  . . . those four turtles . . . all four had been wearing bandannas around their heads . . . blue, purple, red and orange . . . She didn't remember that until now, and she didn't remember a lot of things about that night, but she had remembered the newspaper and the news report about it on TV; the news report done by . . . April O'Neil – and what were the names she had read aloud from a letter by a scientist dude? _Oh my God . . ._ Mikey's voice echoed in her head: 'Turtle Power!'. Turtle – Turtle! Man, all the times he had said 'Turtle' was uncountable, and yet she hadn't thought anything about it. What she was thinking right now was crazy – impossible. But all clues fit . . . Prida's flashback ended, and she started to back up out the fire exit door. She needed some fresh air, but she couldn't take her eyes off her four dancing friends.

_   -Ninja, Ninja Rap! Ninja, Ninja Rap! Ninja, Ninja Rap!_

_   Go, go, go, go!_

_   Go Ninja, Go Ninja, Go! Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go! _

_   Go Ninja, Go Ninja Go! Go Ninja Go Ninja Go!_

_   Go, go, go, go! -_

   "Man! Did they make that up?!" Matt asked Tyson and TJ. They both shrugged and continued to jig.

 _  -Lyrics fill in the gaps_

_   Drop that bass and get the Ninja Rap!_

_   Feel it, ya know what I mean_

_   Give it up, for those heroes in green_

_   Just flowin', smooth with the power_

_   Kickin' it up hour after hour_

_   'Cause in this life there's only one winner_

_   Ya better aim straight so you can hit the center-_

   "And where did the lyrics come from?!" Tyson laughed.

   "Who cares, it's a great song!" TJ shouted.

   Mikey felt like his brothers' dance leader at the minute. After all, he could dance better than his brothers. He was aware of the massive grin on his face and that everyone was watching them, just like before. This had to be the best night ever! And he was glad that, since it was his last one with his friends, it was spent like this. _Hehe, at least when I go they'll know who's the King of Dance!_ He looked at the clock on the wall and his grin slowly turned to a smile. They had only a half hour left of the night, and already their song had nearly finished. Actually, by the time Mikey had finished his thoughts, Ninja Rap had just finished, and another song came on, a much slower song. Mikey grinned as his brothers just did their own dance now. He slapped Donny a high five, and they both danced their way over to their group of friends. Leo and Raph behind.

   "Hey! Excellent dancing m' man!" Matt said, holding his hand up for a high five as well. Mikey slapped it, grinning.

   "That was cool!" TJ exclaimed, trying out the first couple of steps that he had memorized from the dance. He stumbled on his own feet though, and grinned sheepishly.

   "Man's it way to hot in here," Donny exhaled. "I'm gunna go grab a drink, want one?" He asked Leo, Raph and Mike. Leo nodded and the other two shook their heads. "Okay." Donny trotted off to the table.

   Raph looked around, and then spotted someone outside. "I gotta get some fresh air," he muttered, and walked over to the double doors. As he moved away, Leo and Mikey were patted on the back by people they didn't even know, who loved their dance. They grinned back.

   Raph walked out of the Hall and into the cool air. A small breeze lifted his bandanna tails and they flapped softly against his shoulder. He saw Prida by the small pond, leaning on a tree. This looked like some kind of nature reserve instead of a school garden. 

   It must have been Prida's posture that gave Raph the thought that she looked . .  confused? Well, she certainly didn't look merry anymore anyway, even if he couldn't see her face.

   "Hey," he said, and she turned around. "Whatcha doing out here? Aren't you meant to be the dance queen?" He grinned, but her weak attempt at a grin made his fall. "What's up?"

   Prida looked back down at the water. "Nothing, Raphael." She said softly.

   He walked towards her, watching the water with his hands in his pockets.

   "Well ya don't seem too – huh? What did you call me?" He took his eyes from the water and looked at her.

   "That's your full name, isn't it?" she asked, her voice strangely quiet.

   Second's silence, then, "Yeah . . . it is." He hoped she had just guessed that Raph would be short for Raphael. Of course she would, it's not like she heard any of his brothers calling him it, and she wouldn't have gotten it from anywhere else . . . Ut oh. It was his turn for a flashback. He remembered when he had seen that newspaper cut out of him and his brothers in their original form, and he remembered how she had told him she was there with her sister. And then they had just done that dance, with that song . . . And then their names had been on the news – and April had said it! Whoa, that would be hard to explain.

   Prida stood up straight and looked him in the eye. "You . . . don't live in LA . . . do you?" Her head was tilted slightly with her eyebrows furrowed, trying to read any answers from his expression.

   He narrowed his eyes, frowning. "Of course we do," he said quietly. But she seemed to know that meant her guess was correct.

   She turned back to the pond, frowning, thinking. "The song, the weapon, the names . . . it all fits." She muttered to herself.

   Raph couldn't make it out, but he didn't like the way she was muttering.

   Mikey suddenly bounded up behind Raph. "Hey, sup dude and dudette?" He asked happily. But his smile faded when he saw the expressions on Raph and Prida. "What's wrong?"

   "Michelangelo," Prida muttered his name, clear enough for them to hear.

   "Hey, how did you -?" Mikey asked, frowning.

   "What you lot doing out here when there's only about twenty minutes left of the night?" Leo and Donny came out, smiling. Donny was still holding a polystyrene cup.

   "You've been refreshed, now get in there and dance," Donny said, downing the rest of his drink.

   "Leonardo and Donatello," Prida muttered again.

   "Huh?" They both frowned.

   "I knew it," she continued to talk to herself. "It all fits; Mikey's obsession with turtles; your Ninjitsu skills; those weapons; your colored bandannas; the four of you . . . plus everything else . . ."

   Leo, Don, Raph and Mikey looked at each other, frowning but their eyes wide. Don had dropped the cup without realizing.

   "Er, Prida . . . ?" Leo said, gingerly. 

   She looked at them. "You're not meant . . . to be human are you? You guys . . . are . . . were . . . turtles . . . weren't you? You're the guys who were at that disco – I saw you, I saw that dance, I saw the way you fought those guys in the black pajamas . . . the same way you fought those punks in the alley that time . . ." She was studying them now, and they were looking at her with some kind of surprised awe. "You . . . are the turtle guys . . . aren't you?"

   " . . . Wh . . ." Leo tried to say. Then he slumped his shoulders and said, " You're right; we are . . . But we never expected anyone to figure it out . . ." He looked for Prida's reaction.

   Prida hadn't expected him to admit so quickly, and by the looks that his brothers gave him, neither had they. She only stood there, taking in the information.

   "So . . . why . . . how . . . ?" Prida breathed. This was totally weird. Her friend, who she had known for weeks, had now just told her one of their biggest kept secrets – and what was odd, was that she knew it was true, even if it did sound impossible.

   "How are we human?" Leo helped her out. She nodded soundlessly, her eyes locked on Leo. He sighed and bit his lip, finding himself in a situation he had been dreading. "Well, we're not completely sure how we came to be like this . . ."

   "You . . . were actually . . . turtles . . ." Prida whispered, trying to swallow the fact.

   "Mutant turtles," Mikey said quietly, stood next to Donny.

   "Wh – when did you change . . . ?" She asked, her eyes slightly wider than normal.

   "Three days before we came to Vinilla High," Donny answered.

   Prida looked at him, and then her eyes flicked back to Leo. "Were you _meant_ to turn . . . human?"

   "No, it was an accident," Leo said, with a glance at Mikey. The music from the Hall had softened, but it had been forced to the back of everyone's minds as background music; Prida didn't even hear it.

   "An accident . . . ?" She whispered. "How?"

   Leo thought about an answer, chewing his bottom lip again. "We think there was some accidental magic behind it . . . and with the right selection of words, poof, we're like this."

   Prida gave a small chuckle. "You must have been crazy to have wanted to come to school," she said quietly.

   Leo smiled. "We didn't choose to come here, we would have stayed away from all people and laid low until we could have sorted out what happened . . . but, there was an accident. We were hit by a truck and knocked unconscious. We woke up in hospital, where nobody knew who we were or where we came from – so we made up a lie: That we were in New York visiting our Aunt April – ya see, we knew April before we became like this. So, Some cop got involved with our case and forced us to 'carry out our education' here, since we had told him we'd be staying for a few months – we hadn't intended on staying this long at first, but we knew if we didn't attend, that cop would be on our case, and the less we see of them the better . . ."

   Prida remembered that time when the two cops had come to school, looking for four identical kids. The guys had seemed very shifty, and wary of them. She thought of something.

   "But, you're leaving school today. You told me you were going back to LA," she said.

   "No, we're not," Donny said.

   "Why are you leaving then? You just said that if you didn't come here then that cop'll be on your backs."

   "It's kinda difficult to explain," Leo said, rubbing the back of his head and then running his hand through his hair. "We think we were changed to humans by magic that belonged to some man, but it was all an accident. This man has been looking for us, wanting to change us back . . . and . . . certain sources told us that it would be very soon, later tonight, we think . . ."

   There was a silence, that lasted a few seconds but felt longer, in which Prida stared at the floor, deep in thought, and the guys had all lowered their heads, watching her. Finally Mikey spoke up.

   "You still see us as your friends . . . right?" He asked softly. "Not as freaks . . . but as kids, like you . . ."

   Prida looked into his face, and she could tell he feared that now their secret was out to her, she would regard them as weirdos, and see them differently. She wondered what their life must have been like before they were like this. She bet it wasn't all disco dancing like back at that past disco. They probably didn't have any friends apart from April O'Neil.

   She smiled kindly. "Of course not, Mikey . . . I still love you guys, and I understand why you never told me."

   They all seemed to sigh in great relief, and smiled.

   "But . . ." she said, her smile fading. "Will I . . . never be able to see you guys again, once you're changed back?"

   They all bit their lips, and Leo stepped forward, half expecting her to step back, but she didn't.

   "We don't know how our situation will end," he said. "And, if it goes well, since you know about us, we would let you visit us, like April does . . . The only problem we thought of was . . . well, Tooks seems to keep a good eye on you, and if he ever saw you heading down towards us . . . " He left that bit unsaid, though everyone knew what it was going to be.

   Prida felt a sudden surge of anger when Tooks' name was said. "Yeah, I guess that's a problem." She bowed her head.

   "Unless the almighty Prida can be quick enough to lose any unwanted pests," Mikey said with a smile.

   She smiled as well. "You bet I can."

   "I guess my promise won't be broken after all," Donny said to her.

   "Hey you guys out there!" Someone called behind them. Matt was at the doors. "You having a picnic? Get back in here!"

   Leo and the other chuckled as Matt's face disappeared from the fire exit. They started to go back in, their hearts beats less frantic than a minute ago.

   But Prida stopped Raph and Mikey. "When_ will_ I see you guys again?"

   They both looked at each other, then Mikey said, "Drop by at April's, she'd bring you to us any time."

   Prida grinned thankfully, and the three headed on in. Since the disco had almost finished, slow songs were being played to end the night, and quite a few people had moved out to the side.

   Amba walked up to Prida, wringing her hands. "Now that Friday's disappearing quickly, I'm getting nervous about the exams next week," she said.

   "Oh man, totally forgot about those," Prida replied, her mind on her turtle friends.

   "They can't expect us to revise straight away, this disco wipes half of the school out," Amba laughed, as Mikey joined their conversation.

   "Yeah, and I have to baby-sit for my sister's friend so I'm gunna be too wiped to even look out for them," Prida said, wincing when she mentioned baby-sitting. She turned to Mikey. "Actually, it's only two blocks from your aunt's house. So if you hear screaming, it's just me losing it." Mikey laughed.

   From when Leo had walked outside and said there was only twenty minutes left, the time had sure sped up, and it seemed only five minutes he said it that the whole Hall was clapping as the last song ended and people were streaming out of the school and into waiting cars.

   "See you guys!" TJ called with a wave, as a car pulled up beside him on the road and climbed in.

   Leo, Don, Raph, Mikey, Prida, Roxanne, Tyson and his girlfriend, Matt, Heather, Amba and Bonnie, in their group, waved after his car as it pulled away, disappearing around the dark corner. It was pitch black outside, and the only lights were from the street lamps and the dying disco lights; and from car headlights as the pulled up, picked up and drove away.

   "Hey Bonnie, that's my mom," Amba said, and the two started to walk backwards to a car, waving to the others. "Bye! See ya next week!" They climbed into the car and were gone a few seconds later.

   Soon Tyson and his girlfriend were picked up by an adult friend of Tyson's, with 'see yas' and 'later!' They went the same time Heather was picked up.

   The guys watched as their friends disappeared. Friends that they would never speak to again. It was sad to see them leave, not knowing their friends wouldn't be in school next week.

   "Well, there's my ride," Matt said as a small van rounded the dark corner. "See you guys later!"

   "Matt – " Mikey said suddenly and paused for a second. "Good luck with the exams next week . . ."

   Matt looked at him for a split second, as though trying to recognize that strange tone in Mike's voice.

   "Thanks," he said, walking away. "But like Leo said, I couldn't possibly get less than an 'A' grade thanks to Donny." He turned around, grinning and left in the van.

   Roxanne left next, thanking Leo for the dance. They all watched her get into a car, and wave from the window as it pulled out.

   Now Leo turned to Prida. "You'll tell everyone that we went back to LA won't you? When they ask where we are? I guess they might not forgive us for not telling them ourselves . . ."

   Prida smiled. "I'll tell them that it was an unexpected trip back, too soon."

   Another of the many cars pulled up and Prida's sister could be seen at the wheel. She waved to the guys, who waved back.

   Prida looked at the car, and then back at her friends, who she realized were only waiting with her.

   "See you soon," she whispered, and bit her bottom lip. She turned away and walked to the car, she got in with a last glance at her friends and the car pulled away, with Mai giving a final friendly wave.

   Their heads followed the car, and when it disappeared, they looked back to the empty street before them.

   "I guess we start walking," Donny said, waking everyone from their thoughts. They nodded, and the little group of four headed home.

   "Let's just hope . . . everything goes smoothly with this guy," Leo said. They all agreed with a small nod of their head. But walking home from the disco, they encountered no other people, no thugs, and no familiar guys in black pajamas . . .

Okay, so I lied when I said this chapter would be shorter, but I did tell the truth about it being the last chapter of that wretched dance, *rolls eyes* Man, I didn't like that, but 'someone' did, and they forced me to write it, I swear! Lol. Okay, so the next chapters will have action, and since it's past the dance, the end of the story looks a lot closer. I reposted chapter 35 for the song credits if anyone was wondering who the hell sung them.

Songs: 'Get Over You' by Sophie Ellis Bextor; 'Right Back Where we Started From' by Cleopatra (An Extremely Goofy Movie); 'Ninja Raph' by Vanilla Ice (who doesn't know that?!)


	37. Unexpected Attack

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
Having reached 'home' they were met by April as soon as they walked in the door. There was only Mikey who explained their night in excited detail, the others were a little too tired to talk. April was a little surprised when Mikey told her that Prida had figured out who they really were. But Mike reassured her that they could count on their friend to keep their secret safe, and that they had told her she could come round to April's and Ape would take her to them, once this whole thing was sorted out.  
  
"Yes, I'd do that if she came around," April told them as she hurried around for some reason trying to find something. She had her hair wrapped up on top of her head in a towel.  
  
"Why are you rushing around?" Leo asked, flopping down on the couch next to Donny.  
  
April picked up her wallet. "Oh, I'm going out with Casey for the night." She smiled and walked upstairs to change as the guys all smirked.  
  
"Hey, where's Master Splinter?" Donny asked, looking at the empty armchair that was usually occupied by their Sensei.  
  
"He's on the roof, meditating," April's voice called from upstairs.  
  
//  
  
"So, I'll see ya tomorrow, Pri," Mai said as she opened the apartment door to her friend's apartment, preparing to leave. "Don't go mental, remember that they're only playing even if they do pelt you with ice cubes," she added in a quieter tone.  
  
Prida was stood in Laurence's doorway (Mai's very good friend), watching her sister leave her with the little brats that were about to make her night a living hell. Laurence's two kids were little demons, but perfect angels in the company of adults. Prida had baby-sat them before, because Laurence usually goes out all night and stays at a friend's house, letting Prida sleep in the guest room; then she could make the 'little angels' breakfast in the morning and keep them company until Laurence returned about two in the afternoon. It's not that Jessica and Jerry (the little darlings) totally beat Prida up, it's just that when they play they scream, shout, screech and growl and usually bring Prida into their fun. But all she's rather do is watch TV. That was the good thing about baby-sitting Jessica and Jerry: Laurence had tons of great horror flicks, and if the kids came running into the room at the right time when something gory or horrible is on screen they shut up, hug themselves and jump onto the couch next to Prida. But this time Laurence had allowed one of the other baby- sitters, and a friend to Prida, to stay with her. Her name was Danielle, and she would be arriving a bit later than Prida because she was busy. But the twins weren't that hard on her as they were the others. So then Danielle gets paid to help Prida, and she would go home in the morning, sharing the guest room with Prida.  
  
So now, Mai had disappeared around the hallway, and Laurence was just pulling his shirt straight, moving to the doorway and Danielle was yet to arrive.  
  
"Thanks again Prida, I'll be back about two tomorrow, okay? Great! Thanks, you're a star," he said hurriedly, and disappeared after Mai.  
  
Prida sighed and shut the door. Turning around she had an image in her head of two little twins, devil horns sticking out of their heads, with evil grins and holding full ice cube trays. But Jessica and Jerry were 'shooting' each other with imaginary guns when she turned around, running around the couch. Prida made her way to the window seat, and looked out at the twinkling lights far down the street. She was hoping, that since she was only two blocks away, she might have seen April's apartment or even the street that leads to her apartment. But no, it was way too dark to see street signs, and the yellow, glowing street lamps were dull, and three of them were not lit at all. She was only two blocks away . . .  
  
"Pwida, you look pwurty," Jessica said as she jumped onto the window ledge next to Prida, with Jerry following. Prida still had her dress on. It had only been twenty-five minutes since she had left the school Hall, and she hadn't changed yet. Luckily Mai had shoved some of her clothes in a bag before she picked Prida up, so then Prida had something comfortable to wear while baby-sitting the five year olds.  
  
"Thanks," Prida muttered, still looking outside. She got up and walked over to where the bag of her clothes was next to the couch. The twins followed her. They were identical twins, so if Jessica got rid of her long, auburn hair she would look exactly like Jerry.  
  
"What we gunna do tonight Pwida?" Jerry asked, rolling around on the floor and pulling his sister down with him. They giggled.  
  
"Hide and Seek?" Prida asked hopefully, walking to the guest room door, and putting her hand on the handle, ready to open it. She waited for a response.  
  
"Oh but we pwayed that lass time," Jessica moaned, running up to Prida. Jessica and Jerry seemed to really like Prida. And since they were little devils with all the other baby-sitters, Laurence had begged Prida to be their main baby-sitter and she could have Danielle as company (Danielle had been the baby-sitter for a while, and the kids had gotten along with her more than the others); that was a year ago. Prida never liked baby-sitting, unless the kids were quiet - the opposite of the twins. So she was glad for some company her own age.  
  
"Okay . . ." Prida thought, hand still on the door handle. "Why don't you two think of something while I'm getting changed?"  
  
"Okay!" Came the two high voices. They dashed off for their shared room while Prida sighed and walked into the guest room, shutting the door behind her, and locking it for good measures. She changed into a simple pair of jeans and a loose, buttoned blue shirt, and folded her dress neatly into the bag. She walked to her window, four certain guys on her mind. They were all she could think about. She sighed, unlocked her door and walked out.  
  
"GUESS!" Came two identical voices.  
  
Prida jumped and looked down at the twins. They were both dressed in the same baggy shorts that were their dad's, and their dad's checkered shirts. Around their heads one of them wore a purple scarf, the other wore a white scarf, showing only their faces. Prida caught on.  
  
"Jerry," she said, pointing to the white scarf kid. "Jessica," she said, pointing to the purple scarf kid. She smiled and walked over to the couch, seeing the slight disappointment in the twins' faces. Then as Prida turned her back they shed their scarves and jumped after she, screeching 'you just guessed lucky!"  
  
"No, I just know you two," Prida smiled and sat down on the couch, only to be jumped on by Jessica and Jerry, who then started to shoot each other with their hands clasped together like guns.  
  
"Whatcha gunna watch?" Jerry asked, turning to look at Prida and then getting pounced on by Jessica.  
  
"I thought I'd watch End Of Days," Prida smiled, leaning forward and studying the video collection that Laurence owned. He was a big collector of movies, and had every movie with Arnold Schwarzenegger.  
  
The twins stopped their battle and slowly turned their eyes to Prida.  
  
"That movie is scary . . ." Jessica said quietly.  
  
"Why is it?" Prida asked, getting up and walking to the kitchen. She searched the cupboards for a box of popcorn, then she shoved it in the microwave.  
  
"Because da man on dere is blown in half in da subway," Jerry answered, his big eyes on the pillow that he was picking at, and then they looked at Prida.  
  
Prida smiled. "It's meant to be funny," she tried. She knew she shouldn't scare them, so when she did she should at least try and make them take it lightly or laugh about it. She made her way from the humming microwave to the two twins. "Because we both know that it never happens," she said warmly, putting her arms around the two of them. They broke into smiles and giggles. "Okay then what shall we all watch?" Prida asked, hoping tonight maybe they would sit down and be quiet.  
  
"The Labyrinth!" They both shouted together.  
  
"Okay then, we can watch that; Jerry go get the video," Prida smiled. Maybe they would be peaceful tonight. She really didn't feel like telling them to shush when they screamed, because her thoughts were on her four friends. She really wanted to talk to them, so badly that she was thinking maybe she could just . . . walk around there. She rolled her eyes to herself. How strange would that be? Walking around to someone's place at - she looked at the clock - nearly eleven at night. Well, maybe she could at least have a walk and maybe catch them walking out, going to meet this guy who was going to change them back, the kids would be fine with Danielle here . . . She HAD to see them, for some reason, she just wanted to . . .  
  
()()()()  
  
"Hey Donny, wanna play a bored game?" A bored Mikey asked, sighing and walking over to where Donny sat on the floor in front of the couch. With April gone, and Splinter meditating (which was all he seemed to be doing) there wasn't much to do.  
  
"Sure, but let's play outside, I'm boiling," Donny said, meaning that they would set up the game outside April's window on the fire exit stairs that lead to the roof.  
  
"Kay," Mike said and dashed off to choose a game, while Donny picked up his bowl of popcorn and carried it over to the window. He could here Mikey's feet thudding upstairs as he climbed onto the counter and out the open window. He climbed the dark, rusty steps to the roof, and sat, leaning against the wall between two brick building blocks that were part of the roof. He could hear voices up here that belonged to Raph and Leo, who were probably hanging around the edge of the roof, watching activity below. Leo had wanted to stay up here and check out the dark streets below. He had objected to going out and looking for this man because he didn't want to leave Splinter again, and had said maybe if they searched for the man, and the man searched for them, they might miss each other, so one of them must stay in their place for the other to find them.  
  
Don picked up a handful of popcorn and crunched on it, listening. He couldn't really hear, but from the tones he guessed Raph didn't want to talk, and Leo was really muttering to himself.  
  
"I got this one," Mikey suddenly said, breaking Donny's thoughtful stupor. Don looked down at the board game, it was Scrabble. Mikey started to set it up, while Donny watched, listening to the silence, now that his other two brothers seemed to have fallen silent.  
  
"Hey, you okay?" Mikey asked, watching his brother.  
  
"Yeah, I'm good," Don replied quietly.  
  
Mikey continues to study Donny's face. He knew what was on his mind. They were all nervous and, he admitted, scared about what this dude has to do to get them back to normal. Mikey chuckled in his head, 'normal' seemed like the wrong word.  
  
Leo appeared around the brick block Donny was sat against and looked at his two brothers sat on the floor with a board game in front of them. They both looked up at him.  
  
"Wanna drink?" Leo asked. "I'm gunna fetch one."  
  
"Cola," Mikey smiled, and handed Donny some game pieces.  
  
Leo stepped over the board and jumped down the entire set of steps to April's window. He disappeared for a few seconds and then reappeared with a cola can and a carton of orange juice. He tossed the can to Mikey and sat down on the steps, opening his carton.  
  
"Hey Mike," Leo said. "I'm sorry for being so overprotective about you sending off letters and stuff, and, I know it's a bit late, but I should have allowed you . . . I know it's . . . hard to lose friends." He smiled warmly.  
  
"No problem bro," Mikey said. "You were probably right about them wanting phone numbers and addresses. I don't wanna put our family in any danger, even if I can't see it yet, it'll always be there, threatening us . . .it's just who we are." He cast his eyes down to the game while he spoke, sorting out the pieces. His two brothers watched him. They knew Mikey was right, there would always be some sort of danger lurking ahead of them, and it was because of who they were.  
  
Leo watched his brother for another second before motioning with his carton the game, "You gunna start that?"  
  
So a few minutes and the game was well started, the moonlight and Mikey's flashlight allowed them to see the game, since it was a very dark night.  
  
()()()()  
  
The apartment was now dark and quiet. The twins were tucked into bed and Danielle had arrived an hour ago and was now on her way to sleep as well. Prida should have been, but she wasn't. She was in the dark front room, dressed in black jeans and a navy, turtleneck top. She knew she shouldn't be doing this, but she couldn't sleep if she wanted to. She wasn't tired; she was too restless to lay down. So she had decided to sneak out and go to April's apartment, she REALLY had to see, or speak, to the guys. And if that couldn't work, she just wanted to go round there anyway and probably stare at the building. Yeah, she sounded crazy, but she still was getting over the little shock she had got when she found out her friends were turtles. Donny had said he and his brothers would be there for her always, so if they were in, maybe she could get to talk to them. All those apartment buildings had fire exit stairs leading to the roof, and April's place WAS one of the highest; maybe she could reach it from the roof. If she knew her friends, they would probably be either out looking for this man, or awake in the apartment waiting for him. She had a strong feeling they were still there, and the feeling was all the encouragement she needed to unlock the door she was now in front of and walk out into the hallway, shutting the door quietly behind her . . .  
  
//  
  
The streets were dark and nothing moved, from the view on the rooftop. Not even an old newspaper rustled or flapped; but then, there was no wind either. Nothing to look at, no man to spot. Raph's shoulders dropped slightly. He was leaning on the edge of the roof, the wall that acts as a barrier from the drop on the other side. There had been no activity down in the streets for ages. Leo was the one who was watching out; Raph was just up there to think. His gaze was down on the dark, deserted street below, but his eyes were not searching the streets. He was deep in thought, and didn't even hear the soft footfall of Leo, as his brother walked up behind him slowly.  
  
"Thinking about what we're gunna lose?" Leo asked in a quiet tone.  
  
He watched his brother's back. Raph didn't jump, but his head turned slightly to his left shoulder.  
  
"No," he said curtly. "I'm thinking what kinda loony old man would be wandering the streets at this time just to change a couple of teenagers back to their original form."  
  
Leo said nothing for a few long seconds. Then a small smile flickered across his face and disappeared, and he moved over to the edge of the roof, a few feet from his brother.  
  
"I'm gunna miss 'em," he said bluntly. "Miss everything we did, everything we saw, everywhere we went," he said it in the same tone as before. "Nothing will be like that again."  
  
Raph remained silent. Leo glanced at him quickly before Raph could snap at him for staring. His gaze was focused on the old, dark building across the street, and he didn't move. Leo looked down at the streets and looked up to the moon as a breeze swirled around the rooftop, lifting his bandana tails. He exhaled and then turned his back to the edge and walked away, heading to the brick wall and walking around it to find Donny and Mikey still playing their game, even though Donny had won twice already. Mikey was determined to beat the guy before they change back. At least he was now taking it lightly.  
  
"Dude, just lemme win before we have to change back," Mikey whined.  
  
"I tried to let you win last time!" Donny said. "I thought you'd get it before me."  
  
Mikey rolled his eyes. "It's pretty hard when you're playing against a walking dictionary."  
  
"You'll win sometime in the future," Leo said, smiling as he crossed his arms and leant against the wall Donny was also sharing.  
  
"I intend to win a few minutes in the future," Mikey said, and placed some board pieces down, looking at them hard and then watching Donny.  
  
Donny and Leo chuckled at their brother's expression.  
  
Donny and Mikey's game continued for another few minutes, in which time Donny managed to win again. Leo wanted to talk to someone about what was going to happen tonight, if anything at all, and almost got up to go talk to Splinter in the guest room, but instead he got up off the floor next to Donny and walked back around to Raph at the edge of the building. Leo leant on the brick wall (of which Donny was sat on the opposite side), crossed his arms and looked past his brother to the moon and the few stars that were twinkling. He kept thinking about their sewer home that was now under watch by the cops, and when they turned back, where they would live. It would have to be far away from their old home, and that meant it would be far away from April's and everything else he had come to know above the ground. His gaze started to far from the sky, and he found his head had drooped and he was staring, eyes half open, at the roof floor.  
  
"I wish we'd never turned human," Leo spoke out, more to himself than to Raph. "I wish Mikey hadn't made that wish, and I wish that we were in our home right now, sparring - or watching TV - or at least trying a first of Mikey's cooking . . ." His shoulders dropped and his eyes closed. "Then we wouldn't have to give up things we don't want to . . ."  
  
Raph listened in silence, his eyes looking to his right as Leo spoke. Leo had just voiced out what Raph was thinking. And now Leo was mumbling softly to himself, but loud enough to hear.  
  
Leo sighed and stopped talking. He picked up his katana, which were laid on the floor at the side of him, where he had put them when they had first come up onto the roof. He started to polish them with his blue shirt, which he had changed when he got home. They had all changed into their gray nightshirts, so it was pretty difficult to tell them apart again. They had kept their jeans on though.  
  
"Hey guys, I won!" Came Mikey's voice.  
  
"About time," came Donny's voice.  
  
Leo chuckled and held his sword up, admiring the reflection of the blade.  
  
//  
  
It was a warm night, Prida thought as she lifted her head and looked up at the dark, deserted building she was walking past on the sidewalk. She knew she must be crazy to be walking out here in the dead of night. But she was almost there now, and she wasn't about to turn back. Why was she doing this? She really did want the fresh air since she couldn't sleep, and she wanted to talk.  
  
Prida stopped and looked behind her shoulder to the shadows behind her in the alleyway she had just passed. She heard something very quiet. Must be a cat. With a last look, she turned and continued to walk.  
  
//  
  
Raph was now listening to his brother sing quietly to himself, probably forgetting the fact that Raph could hear it. It wasn't bad, in fact it was really good gentle singing, but why was he singing to himself and his katana? Shaking his head Raph directed his eyes around the streets below again - and locked them onto a figure moving in the shadows two buildings down the street. Raph squinted trying to make out the person. They were a small build, that much he could tell . . . and something was flowing at their neck; long hair. Long hair? It was obviously a girl, but what girl would be out here in the middle of the night? Just then the broken street lamp down the road flicked and died again - but it was enough to throw enough light on the figure to let Raph see who it was - and at the same time see countless stealthy shadows that were creeping up behind her - shadows that looked way too familiar.  
  
"Prida," Raph breathed, pushed himself away from the roof edge and ran full speed, heading towards the other side of the roof where there were side exit stairs from the roof leading down to the ground.  
  
Leo immediately stopped singing and looked up as Raph shot past him.  
  
"Raph?" He shouted as his brother ran ahead. Leo took a split second to look over the side of the building to where there was a struggle on the streets, before taking off after his brother, sliding his katana into his sheath on his back.  
  
"Okay Don, prepare to be - hey wasn't that Raph?" Mikey asked, looking up from his game as something with a red strip shot past them both.  
  
"Yeah - and there goes Leo," Donny pointed out as something with a blur strip shot past them. They looked at each other for a split second before jumping up.  
  
"Follow?" Mikey said excitedly already moving off.  
  
"Follow!" Donny shouted, and they both ran after their brothers.  
  
Leo, who was a few meters in front of them both was quite a few meters behind Raph, who was already down the rusty exit stairs, with Leo in pursuit. Donny and Mikey got to the stairs two seconds after Leo.  
  
"Leo! What is it?" Donny yelled, grabbing the stairs and swinging himself around to the next set without tumbling over.  
  
"The Foot!" Leo yelled, not turning to look. He hadn't quite seen the other figure that was at this minute kicking and punching the Foot in the groin.  
  
"Oh man - just on our night when things should be returning to normal!" Mikey moaned, jumping five steps.  
  
"What are ya talking about?" Donny yelled. "Fighting the Foot IS normal!"  
  
Raph had reached the bottom now and took off in the direction on the struggle and the scream; and the familiar voice that was shouting "Lemme go! Get off!" Leo knew that voice; it was Prida!  
  
Donny and Mikey had dared to jump down a whole level and now they were a step behind Leo, reaching the bottom four seconds after Raph, and taking off after him as soon as their feet hit the floor.  
  
An oncoming noise made them look to their right as they ran after Raph. Bright lights washed over them and a horn blared out. Leo, Donny and Mikey stopped just in time, and Raph only just managed to reach the other side without being hit by the large truck, and carry on without looking back to the fight in front of him, which had now been moved around the corner, since the Foot had Prida and were taking her away.  
  
It seemed to take the truck forever to pass, and the guys didn't even look at the driver as he glared at the three brothers. When it had passed they started to run again, but only took two steps forward, finding themselves face to face with the black-pajama guys, and somehow they got the feeling that these guys were like those they had last fought with . . . the really good, expert Foot.  
  
Leo guessed about fifteen in front of him and his brothers, and he only had time to realize that these were the proper Ninja Foot before six of them jumped clear over the guys and landed behind them.  
  
Leo, Don and Mikey immediately sprung into action. Leo ducked and rolled as one from behind took a swipe at him with a metal Bo Staff. He took on five of those that jumped behind them, while Mikey and Donny rushed at the rest. Leo didn't know where Raph was, but he could hear another angry scream from Prida, and the sounds of someone being beaten up. He just hoped it was the Foot, because these dudes were good. Leo had already been grazed for not moving out of the way quick enough, and he once saw Mikey thrown on the floor, only just rolling out the way on a katana that struck the floor where he had been. How many of these was Raph and Prida against?  
  
"Whoa!" Leo let out as he ducked, hearing the air being sliced right next to his ear by a katana. A few strands of his hair were actually cut off. Leo brought his own sword up to meet this dude's, and while he was blocking the attack, he lashed out with his foot to the stomach on the metal Bo wielding Foot.  
  
"Was that Prida I heard screaming?!" Mikey yelled to his brothers as he blocked o Bo with the metal chain links of his Nunchuck.  
  
"I have a horrible feeling it was!" Donny called, and then took a punch to the gut. "It was so much easier to take a punch to the stomach when I had a plastron," he muttered to himself, trying to keep the humor in this kind of situation when even the Leader of the group was taking punches because there were too many opponents.  
  
"Ya!" Leo growled as he kicked out behind him and caught a Foot soldier in the face. He hit the pavement and stayed there. But he was the first one down out the fifteen.  
  
"Ow! Ow - ow - ow - ow!" Mikey yelped as he was hit over the back of the head and kicked in the stomach, then a second later thumped to the ground, all because his hands were busy blocking someone else, and his feet were busy stepping out the way as two tried to trip him up.  
  
"Mike!" Leo yelled, and received a punch to the cheek. He kicked the lights out of the dude who did it, and then tried to rush over and help his brother, but was blocked by a wall of three, mean, ugly looking Foot members.  
  
"I'm okay! I'm OKAY!" Mikey shouted as he rolled out from the oncoming blow of a katana and the end of a Bo. He jumped up, wiped the blood from his lip, and rushed at the backs of the two who had just tried to kill him. He managed to knock them out, and they stayed down.  
  
Donny had just downed three in one blow with his Bo Staff, and turned to another who had no weapon. He soon met the concrete a few seconds later, and Donny wiped the grime off the end of his Bo onto the clothing on the Foot.  
  
Two of these guys ran off around the corner obviously to help out the others. Prida seemed to be a bigger trouble than they had thought, and with Raph it obviously needed a lot of manpower. That left Leo, Don and Mike with seven Foot soldiers to deal with. But the guys were now aching, bleeding and tired from the intense battle.  
  
Before Leo moved on to kick another butt, he noticed out the corner of his eye a light switched on in the building they were fighting next to. An old face appeared at the window, and then disappeared. Don't call the cops, Leo thought desperately. The last thing they wanted was being caught again for messing around with these guys.  
  
Without realizing it, the Foot had been pushed back slightly, so now they could hear the other Foot members around the corner, and Prida struggling to free herself. Why had they got Prida? And if the three of them could only JUST hold off fifteen Foot soldiers while getting beaten up, how many could Raph hold off?  
  
Then, the noise of the fighting from around the corner of the building stopped, and Prida's panicked voice screamed. It was a scream that sent chills running down Leo and his brothers' backs. She had screamed Raph's name out, and then it sounded as if she had been gagged because it became muffled. There was the sudden, shrill sounds of the police cars somewhere in the background, and then there was a quick, deep shout from one of the Foot. The dude Leo had been fighting suddenly managed to grab the teenager by the shirt and hold him there.  
  
"If you want to see her again, be at the old factory at the end of Laird Street before dawn," the Foot growled, and flung Leo to the ground. Leo's head hit the sidewalk curb and he blacked out, in semi consciousness, unable to move but aware of the sirens getting louder. There was more than one. He could just see through his barely-open eyes many pairs of black covered feet growing smaller and smaller, and he saw someone else hit the floor. Someone in an orange shirt.  
  
"Leo! Leo -" Donny was calling, rushing over to his brother. Mikey got up shakily, feeling nauseous. His lip was still bleeding, along with many other injuries. Donny looked the same, if not slightly worse, but he didn't look sick.  
  
Leo was lifted quickly, but gently off the curb by Donny. "Leo, c'mon dude speak to me!"  
  
Now that he was elevated, Leo felt more awake than dead, and he closed his eyes, took a deep breath and said, "I'm . . . livin'."  
  
Mikey rushed over to them, and helped Donny stand Leo up. Leo held his head.  
  
"The Foot took off," he said, words slurring a bit. "They have Prida . . . God where's Raph?"  
  
They all looked at each other and then turned and ran to the corner of the building, rounding it and finding their brother on the floor, bloodied up badly and unconscious.  
  
"Raph," Mikey murmured, and dropped down at his brother's side.  
  
Leo suddenly collapsed, and Donny rushed over to him as he was trying to stand back up. Leo waved Donny off.  
  
"Raph - go see Raph - is he gunna be okay?" Leo stared at Donny, who moved over to his unconscious brother. He knelt down and checked his pulse.  
  
"He's okay, but he won't be for long, his pulse is weak but not as bad as it could be," Donny said, suddenly feeling exhausted. Before he knew it he had leaned to one side and only just put his hand out to stop himself falling over.  
  
"We gotta get Raph some help," Leo said, stumbling over to them and dropping to his hands and knees. Mikey held his shoulders as Leo rocked unstably.  
  
Just then red and blue lights illuminated the dark alleyway, and two police cars and an ambulance pulled up behind them all. Leo rolled his eyes exhaustedly. Not only had the old lady called the cops, she had fetched the ambulance out again. That means they would want to take them all in, and Leo couldn't afford to waste time at a hospital when he had to save Prida.  
  
The police got out the car, and as soon as the paramedics saw Raph on the floor, they started to get out the stretcher while two of them went over to check them out.  
  
"What happened here," the cop asked sternly, crossing his arms.  
  
"No time for questions Sir, these kids need medical attention," a female paramedic said, as Raph was laid and tied to a stretcher, and the other three were given blankets because they were shaky.  
  
"No - look, I can't go," Leo tried to say, but he was being ushered into the back of the Ambulance with his other brothers. Leo didn't want to sit down, but he did. He knew if he sat down he'd probably fall asleep, and he couldn't let that happened when Prida was captured by the Foot.  
  
The ambulance doors were slammed shut, and Leo's vision became blurred. He could see Donny and Mikey next to him, watching the paramedics work on Raph. Leo turned to look, too, at what they were doing to his brother. Raph was hooked up to an IV now, and they were swatting his wounds with something Leo couldn't make out. Before he knew it, he had drooped onto Donny's shoulder, and sleep tried to settle in, but he pushed it back with the little strength he had left. He realized just what a beating they had taken, and it made him shudder to think that if the Foot hadn't pulled back, they would have finished Leo and his brothers. Leo forced his eyes open, and sat back up, ignoring his body screaming for him to close his eyes and just sleep.  
  
It seemed they were in the Ambulance for a few second and then the doors were being opened, Raph was taken out, and Leo felt a tug on his arm. He looked at Donny, who was motioning him to get out.  
  
The bright lights of the hospital against the blackness of the night made Leo squint when he got out. His eyes soon adjusted, and he was being led into the hospital, once again, and past the front desk to a corridor to the left of the waiting room, which was joined on to the entrance room. They went through some double doors, and then a single door into a medium sized room where they were pushed down gently onto three beds. But Leo sat back up again, along with Don and Mikey, who had taken their blankets off, showing their injured arms, hands and necks. They even had tears in their clothes. Leo didn't like to see his brothers like that. He wondered what Raph looked like, since he hadn't been able to look at him properly, and that Raph was taken somewhere else.  
  
"Not the nicest way to meet again is this?" A familiar voice spoke to their left.  
  
Dr. Hera stood there with her hands on her hips, looking at them and shaking her head. Dr. Bruine was with her.  
  
Leo, Don and Mikey just looked at her tiredly, and followed her with their heads as she moved across the room, sighing, and took out hospital equipment. She started to tend to Leo first, while her friend, Bruine, helped out Donny. Mikey laid down, wanting nothing but rest.  
  
"I'm not going to ask what happened," Hera said. "But whatever it was, it sure beat the hell outta you."  
  
Donny looked over at Leo and saw how awful he looked: he looked paler, and the graze on his cheek stood out red. The light seemed too bright for him because he was constantly squinting and blinking. That whack on the head must have given him some headache. Actually, Donny was worried about something more than a headache. He was worried about Leo having a concussion. But that was for the doctor to find out. And a while later, when Mikey had been cleaned up while he was asleep by Bruine who had then left, and Hera had checked Leo over thoroughly and had done some small tests, she told Leo that he did have concussion, but it was minor, and that he would stay in the hospital for however long they needed to treat his head injury until they were satisfied it was clear. Leo did not like the idea of staying there for her suggested number of days, and planned to leave as soon as he could, but he didn't say anything.  
  
"Right, now I want you two resting," Hera said, moving the IV drip that was attached to Leo's hand. He now had a large gauze bandage taped to the side of his forehead, and a smaller one on his check. He had another on his arm, and another graze on his shoulder. He had kept his own clothes on; he refused to wear the hospital garments, even if they thought he would be staying there for a few days. Donny looked a little better than him because he didn't have anything on his head. But the scar on his arm had been ripped open again, and he had had to go through the pain of having it re- stitched again. Also he had a nasty bruise on his stomach. Apart from that he was just tired. Mikey had a few more bruises than Donny, but nothing that needed stitches. He did have a broken finger, which was taped to his other finger to support it, but it was a clean break so there shouldn't be a lot of pain when he wakes.  
  
"Where's Raph?" Donny asked, sitting up when he was just laying down. "How is he?"  
  
"He's doing fine now," Hera sighed. "He was much worse than the rest of you. Lucky his leg wasn't ripped open, but he has a whole load of injuries to make up for that. He has a head injury, but no concussion. He's in room 113, first floor, where someone can keep an eye on him. Now get some rest, and take it easy." She added, before turning the lights off and leaving with a yawn.  
  
"We have to get Prida back," Donny said as soon as silence had settled for a second after the door had closed. "We can't stay here."  
  
Leo didn't say anything for a few seconds. "We're gunna have to sneak out . . . leave Raph here, he won't be able to walk anyway if he's worse than me."  
  
"How will we find Prida?" Donnie asked in a quiet voice, laying down with his injured arm laid in a safe position where he won't roll onto it.  
  
"At the old factory on Lair Street," Leo said, still sat up, even though he was having a hard job trying to stay awake. "One of them told me; we have to be there before dawn."  
  
Donny's eyes were now closed and he yawned, and nodded to show he had heard.  
  
"I can't go to sleep," Leo said softly. "We don't have much time 'til dawn, and it doesn't leave us long to rest."  
  
"Which is why YOU should be resting and not me," Donny said, opening his eyes and sitting up. "You need rest more than I do, and I can wake you when we have to go."  
  
Leo wanted to argue and say that Don should have his rest, because as Leader Leo puts his brothers before himself. But his mouth wouldn't cooperate, and he couldn't say no. Instead he gave a half nod and laid down. As soon as his head hit the pillow, his eyes closed and he was fast asleep.  
  
Donny watched his chest rise and fall, then he looked back at Mikey. That's why they beat them up and didn't kill them, so that whoever is leading the Foot can have the pleasure of destroying them when they were still weak from the fight. That's why Prida was kidnapped: as bait. Then why did they almost kill Raph? To show how serious they were? These guys were taken serious first time Don and his brothers fought them. Donny sighed, wondering how this has affected their chance to become turtle. Would that man continue looking if he couldn't find them at the apartment or out on the streets? Trust the Foot to choose the worst possible time, Don thought bitterly.  
  
~  
  
Okay, I really wanted to keep this one short, but hehe, I couldn't help it, it all had to go in this chapter. I am really ashamed of the mistakes I made about the schools and stuff, as some of you pointed out, but there's no more school from now on, thank god, hehe, I'm really sorry about it. Hope ya enjoyed this chapter, I think it's much better than the rest because it's something I'm easy at, action and stuff, hehe. SFAM - the next chapters SHUD be shorter, because I have so many exams and stuff I won't have time to write long chapters - oh please wish me luck in my exams! I have two exams that clash! And a 10-hour Art exam! I HATE Art! So maybe with the loads of wishing lucks from TMNT Authors and fans it might, ya know, kinda get me through them - I swear I die in these art exams - at least we're allowed to take in CD players and walkmans ( hehe. Cya, peace! 


	38. Time Runs Down

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
"Excuse me! Hey - can you tell me about four teenagers that were brought in?" April asked desperately at the counter. She had received a call on her cell phone from Dr. Hera, and had come down here straight away with Casey.  
  
"Hey, Ape, cool it," Casey said gently. "They'll be okay."  
  
"Miss O'Neil?" A female voice asked behind them.  
  
They turned around to see Dr. Hera, with a polite smile on her face.  
  
"Nice to see you again," the Doctor said warmly, and shook hands with Casey. "I'm Dr. Hera," she told him.  
  
"Casey Jones," he said back, and then put an arm around April's shoulders.  
  
"Are they okay?" April asked. "What happened? You said one of them had concussion and another one was unconscious."  
  
"They're going to be just fine now," Hera assured her. "Three of them are sleeping at the minute, very tired, and I really don't want them to be disturbed, but you may see, er forgot the names, you can see the . . . one in the red? Yes, him, he's still out, but you may visit him." She turned and started to walk away, leading them to the room. April and Casey followed.  
  
"Raph got knocked unconscious," April muttered.  
  
Casey snorted. "I can understand why." April hit him.  
  
They were lead up a staircase to the First floor, through two corridors and finally a quiet corridor, where they passed two rooms and entered the next one. It was a smallish room, with another door to the left. The bed was in the middle, surrounded by the medical equipment that was in use. And Raph was laid on the bed under the white sheets, head to one side.  
  
Hera turned to leave, having shown them into the room, but April spoke up.  
  
"What about the other two, you said one had concussion?" She asked.  
  
"The other two are fine, but very tired, and when they wake, very achy I expect," Hera said. Then she turned and left.  
  
The door inside the room on the left wall opened and a nurse walked in, smiling at April and Casey as they walked closer to the bed.  
  
"Do you know how he got like this?" April asked the nurse, who was checking the flow of liquid in Raph's IV drip.  
  
"From what I heard, the police said they had been called down to check out a fight that had been happening in an alleyway. An old woman said she saw these guys and a lot of men in black suits messing around, and a girl screaming. She had called the ambulance as well, I guess she saw this guy being beaten up." The nurse finished her check of the equipment, nodded to April and Casey, and walked back through the door.  
  
"No . . . the woman thought the Foot . . . needed the ambulance," came a groggy voice.  
  
April and Casey looked down at the bed. Raph was awake. He rubbed his eyes and then just laid back, taking in his surroundings.  
  
"Raph!" April said, and hugged him. He inhaled in pain, and she quickly let go.  
  
"Hey Raph, the brain implant went well," Casey smirked. "You're looking better already."  
  
"Yeah . . . better than you'll ever look," Raph grinned, or at least tried to. He then started to get up, and out of bed.  
  
"What are you doing?" April asked, stopping him.  
  
"Prida was caught . . . by the Foot," he said, through gritted teeth, wincing as he moved. "We have to . . . save her."  
  
"You can't save her, you're in no shape," April argued, pushing him back.  
  
Casey looked at April, and then Raph. "Do you know where she is?"  
  
Raph paused, and looked up. "We'll find her -"  
  
"Why don't you let us speak to your brothers first?" April suggested, pulling the sheets back over him. "Maybe they might have heard something."  
  
Raph said nothing, so April looked and Casey and motioned with her head to go and find Leo, Don and Mikey so they could ask them. They'd have to wake them up, something that April didn't like to do, but they had a crisis here. April and Casey glanced back at Raph before leaving the room. They stopped outside in the corridor.  
  
"Did Hera say what room the others were in?" Casey asked, watching a nurse pass and go into the room next to them.  
  
"No, but we can ask at the desk," April replied, then looked over Casey's shoulder to the nurse running into Raph's room. A few loud voices could be heard. Casey looked back from the room to April.  
  
"You go find the room where the others are, I'll check this out," he said, and he turned around and disappeared to find out what was going on, while April turned around the opposite way and made her way down to the front desk on Ground Floor. She almost went through the wrong door, but then took the right one and found the staircase that lead down.  
  
"'Scuse me!" She said as she trotted to the front desk, laying her hands on it and leaning over slightly. "Could you tell me what room three - er - triplets are in? They were brought in about a half hour ago."  
  
"Through those doors, keep going right 'til you get to a room with no number, it's that one," a woman behind the desk said, and then went back to her phone call.  
  
"Thanks," April said, and started walking over to the double doors that the woman had pointed at. She followed the directions and turned right two times and came to a door with no number. She looked in through the glass window. The room was dark, but she could make out three beds, and three figures on them. She opened the door slowly, walked in and closed it behind her. None of them moved, so she walked over to the nearest bed. It was hard to tell what color the bandana was because it was dark, and they didn't have their colored shirts on. It was either blue or purple, but April didn't need the aid of colors: this was Leo. She studied him for a second, taking in the gauze bandage on his check, and another larger one on the side of his forehead. April frowned. Just what had happened to these guys? She knew her friends were the best Ninjas in the city, better than the Foot, but it seemed the Foot had beaten them. It worried her.  
  
"Leo," she said in a soft voice, placing a hand on his shoulder and very gently shaking him. "Leeooo."  
  
"Huh - April?"  
  
April looked up from Leo and saw Donny sitting up, shaking his head and rubbing his eyes from the middle bed.  
  
"Donny," April said, and walked over to him. She hugged him and sat down on the edge of his bed. Then she took hold of his arms and looked him in the face "What happened?"  
  
Donny inhaled. "We were attacked by the Foot, but they were strong, and there were loads of 'um. I think they were there following Prida, because she was heading over to your apartment, I think, to see us . . . Raph saw her, and he saw the Foot and ran off." Don chuckled quietly. "We almost got run over by another truck. It stopped me, Leo and Mike from following Raph, but when it passed we were attacked by the Foot. We barely held off fifteen of these, all three of us, and Leo was knocked down, given concussion. The Foot took Prida, and left Raph unconscious." Donny sighed wearily. "A woman from the building we were fighting near called the police and the hospital."  
  
"Is Mikey okay?" April asked, looking past Donny to the furthest bed.  
  
"Yeah, he's just really tired, we all a-are," Donny finished with a yawn. April rubbed his arm.  
  
"Well, at least you're all okay, I'm worried about Prida now," April said. "Do you know if any of the Foot mentioned where they might haven taken her?"  
  
"Laid Street, the old factory there," Donny said, his eyelids drooping. "We have to be there -" He yawned again "- before dawn."  
  
"Okay," April nodded solemnly. "And you guys are going? When you're like this?"  
  
"We have to."  
  
"Yeah, well that's what Raph thinks too," April said, looking around the dark room.  
  
"He's awake?" Donny asked, sitting up because he had been leaning back down.  
  
"Yeah, woke up about five minutes ago, wanted to take off straight away. Didn't know where he was going though. Casey's with him."  
  
The door clicked and opened, and Casey walked in, pushing it closed behind him with his foot.  
  
April looked back at Donny with a half smile. "He WAS with him."  
  
Casey walked away from the door to Donny and April. "Donny, looking better than Raph, well, now anyways."  
  
"What was that all about?" April asked, looking up and him.  
  
"Well, let's say he won't be rescuing Prida for a while, the doctors made sure of that," Casey said, one hand on is side, the other running a hand through his hair. "He was . . . trying to get out."  
  
April shook her head and turned back to Donny. "We'll help you save -"  
  
"No," Donny interrupted her. "I don't want you getting hurt, these guys mean serious business. Anyway, I think you should stay with Raph, he gets freaked out in hospitals." Donny looked at Mikey. "Gives Mikey a good excuse to leave anyway."  
  
April remained silent, but she nodded slowly to show she would stay here.  
  
"But - c'mon guys, you're gunna need my help," Casey said.  
  
"We might do, but these guys obviously mean to kill us, and anyone with us . . ." Donny said.  
  
April put a hand on Casey's arm, "Fine," he said shortly.  
  
April turned back to Donny. "When are you guys planning on leaving?"  
  
Donny didn't answer straight away. He looked over at Leo on the bed. "Soon." Was all he said. April nodded slowly again.  
  
"Well, you guys're gunna need all the strength you can get," Casey said. "Want some chow?"  
  
"Good idea," April said, and stood up. "You'll need it, I'll see if I can get some somewhere." She walked over to the door. "Be right back," she said, and disappeared.  
  
Casey moved over and sat down on Donny's bed. Donny was staring at the floor.  
  
"I guess we ruined your night with April, huh?" Donny said.  
  
Casey shrugged casually. "Not really. I mean, I was just gunna pop the big question to her, with the ring and everything, then her phone went off and she jumped out her chair. No, it wasn't ruined." He looked at Donny then smiled cockily. Donny stared then grinned.  
  
()()()()  
  
It was amazing how busy the hospital could be at this time of night, Mikey thought as he sat there on his bed and listened to the sounds of distance people. He had woken up to the sounds of someone talking near him, and had looked around to see April and Casey. April had hugged him, and offered him some food, which he ate hungrily. Donny explained to him that they knew where Prida was, and that they had until dawn to save her. Dawn was about four hours away, and even though it seemed quite a while, Mikey wanted to get off straight away. He hated sitting around when something like this had happened. Leo had not woken yet, but Donny said that Leo needed as must rest as he could get.  
  
"I just hope you guys don't go down at the first punch," April said in a flat voice.  
  
"We won't, but whoever it is who ordered the Foot to attack us just so we're weak later on is a coward, and boy is he gunna get it when we're through with him," Donny said. He looked over at Mikey. "You okay Mike? You don't still feel sick do you?"  
  
"No, I'm good," Mikey said, even though he did still feel sick. He hoped he wouldn't throw up when they started fighting. He laid back down on his bed with his head in his hand, his elbow on the pillow. His thoughts wandered wild in his head, and the sounds of April, Casey and Donny's voices droned on in the back of his minds.  
  
()()()()  
  
Mikey looked at the clock again, two hours until dawn! Time flew by, and he didn't know how long they needed to find the place and get Prida out of there. What happened in those two hours that seemed like ten minutes? It seemed nothing happened, but Leo had only just woken up a few minutes before Mikey looked at the clock. He had eaten, but not much. He looked slightly better now he had gotten some rest, but he still looked as though he DID need a few days in hospital.  
  
"We should be moving," he announced, fifteen minutes after he had woken up. Mikey was convinced Leo had an inside-alarm clock that lets him wake up at the right time, because he was sure Leo would have needed waking by Donny or Mikey.  
  
But before they actually sneaked out of the hospital, Leo wanted to see Raph. So a few minutes after Leo announced they should be moving (which caused some wincing), they were following April and Casey upstairs to room 113. Just before they had reached the door to Raph's room, Dr. Hera appeared out of the room two doors down, and Leo, Don and Mikey quickly moved into Room 113 and hid behind the wall, while April and Casey smiled as the doctor went past, and then entered.  
  
"That was close," Leo said quietly.  
  
"Yeah, a little too close," Mikey said, grinning. Leo looked at him, eyebrow raised.  
  
Donny, grinned, nudged Mikey and pointed to the bed in the middle of the room. "Look, there's Raph!" He whispered.  
  
Mikey grinned. "Yeah -" he looked at Leo, who was looking staring at him sternly. "Yeah, Raph . . ." April smiled, and shook her head. They could still be funny in any situation.  
  
Casey stayed at the door, while the others moved over to Raph, who was looking quite peaceful, with his head to one side, asleep.  
  
"Look, he's fine," Mikey pointed out. "He's not going anywhere, we have to go."  
  
"Wrong . . . Mike," Raph suddenly said, eyes still closed. "I . . . have to . . . come too." He turned his head and opened his eyes, well, at least tried to open his eyes. He shut them again, feeling it was too much effort.  
  
"Raph, we have to go now," Leo said, bending down, putting his hands on Raph's arm. "We'll be back with Prida, we promise . . ."  
  
"You're not going to do much good against the Foot like that," Mikey pointed out.  
  
"Guys, we gotta go," Donny whispered, glancing at the clock on the wall. Leo looked as well.  
  
"Okay," he said, standing up. "Let's go." He glanced at his brother in bed, and then he walked over to the door, glancing both ways before exiting the room. Mikey quickly grasped Raph's hand, "See ya later Bro," he said, before following Donny. April remained in the room next to Raph.  
  
"Good luck guys," Casey said as they passed him. "You sure as hell need it."  
  
Leo, Don and Mikey ran silently down the corridor, taking the elevator instead of the stairs; they didn't want to run into Hera or Bruine. As they got out the elevator they just saw Hera passing them, only a few meters away, but they were in a crowd of people, and ducked as she walked by. She was heading to the staircase.  
  
"Okay guys, let's go," Leo said as they ran into the waiting room, looked around, and then slowed down to a small trot past the desk as to not draw attention and through the doors leading outside.  
  
They were met by cool air, and the black sky. They took a second to stop and inhale the air.  
  
"Where's Laird Street?" Leo asked Donny, their walking City map for tonight.  
  
"Follow me," Donny said, and took off at a small run.  
  
()()()()  
  
Thirty minutes later they found themselves down a dark, eerie street. Most buildings here look deserted, and on the walls of some, there were graffiti symbols too dark to see properly. Leo, Don and Mikey stopped at a corner of one of the buildings, peering around it at the biggest building on the street, the darkest and the end building.  
  
"That's it," Donny broke the silence. "That's the old factory, this is Laird Street."  
  
"Dudes, how exactly do we get in?" Mikey asked, staring at the building, and trying to see if there was any movement.  
  
Leo and Donny looked at each other, thinking. Then they looked back at the building. Mikey glanced at them.  
  
Leo bit the inside of his lip, looking along the base of the building for any basement window or something that wasn't boarded up that maybe they could climb through.  
  
"With stealth, agility . . ." he said, seeing nothing but the main entrance. "And a whole load of luck . . .  
  
~  
  
Wow, a chapter finished so soon after the last! *Writes it down in her personal record book*. Thanks for the reviews guys - and ya didn't have to wait too long DanceingFae! It wud have been up earlier but I don't think anyone cud post anything. - and Lenni, you kick those asses - there shud be a load of ass kicking later, and ALL the guys get to kick ass, lol. Thanks for the gud luck Hex ;) . .. And lookie - I managed to shorten this chapter out! It could have been a bit longer, heh. Do you think the guys should just walk in the front door, or actually find another way in? I'm not sure just yet, hehe, but I'll make my mind up soon. - oh, incase someone for some insane reason hadn't seen the second movie you might not get the little joke in there - I'm sure y'all HAVE seen the 2nd movie, right? If anyone says they haven't I'll have to gasp so hard I'll die, lol. Cya, peace! Turtle Power! 


	39. Shredder

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
"You think they'll be okay?" April asked quietly. She was sat against the wall on one of the hospital's chairs next to Raph, who was watching the activity in the room to the right.  
  
Casey pulled a chair over to her. "They'll be fine, you know those guys." He reassured her. "And besides, the Foot are messing with their chick, so I'm pretty sure they'll be extra ticked off."  
  
April gave him a look, and sighed, running her hand over her face. "I don't think they should have gone so quickly after the fight." She said. "I mean, think how many of those guys there are in that factory. And Leo, Don and Mike were only against fifteen of them."  
  
"Hey, c'mon, there's a damsel in distress here, it always works out for the good guys," Casey joked, putting an arm around April and hugging her close to him. "They'll be back . . . . they might be back in pieces but they'll be back."  
  
April raised her eyes to Casey's; her head was leaning on his shoulder. She gave him a look that said his joking wasn't making her feel any better.  
  
"Look," he said, wrapping his other arm around her and leaning his chin on her head. "They will be FINE." He started to rock her very gently, and she closed her eyes. She was so worried, she just hoped they wouldn't do anything too daring and get themselves caught.  
  
//  
  
"No way in apart from the front door!" Donny whispered, as he, Leo and Mikey crouched in the shadows, behind the corner of the factory from the large, wooden doors guarded by two Foot soldiers. "Every window is boarded up and there's no way we can remove those planks of wood without causing some kind of noise."  
  
"Well then, the only way is through the front door," Leo said, glancing at his brothers, trying desperately to ignore his throbbing headache. Mikey frowned at him. "We won't reach Prida anyway without being seen or caught."  
  
"So we're just gonna storm through the front door?" Mikey asked.  
  
Leo didn't look at him; instead he stood up carefully and started to head over to the two guards and the only door into the factory. Mikey and Donny scrambled after him.  
  
The two guards made a startled throaty sound and rushed at Leo. They were greeted by the teenager's fist in the face, while Donny and Mikey downed the other.  
  
Leo tilted his head at his bros with a very small, cocky grin. "Let's go in."  
  
"Leo - there's gonna be a LOT more in there than two Foot soldiers!" Donny said. "We CAN'T just go barging in without a plan or something."  
  
"Yeah, the plan is to do whatever it takes to get us and Prida outta there," Leo said, still facing the door, back to his brothers not wanting them to see him trying to stay in focus because of his aching head. He walked up to the heavy wooden doors and pushed them open.  
  
//  
  
"Hey, hey - where you going?" April said, food tray in her hand. She had just walked through the door to Room 113 where Raph was just standing up from the bed. Casey was looking purposely at the wall, pretending he didn't see anything.  
  
"Me?" Raph looked innocent. "I'm just stretching my legs." He demonstrated but it appeared too painful so he gave a small, quick, meek smile and sat on the bed.  
  
"Nice try," April said, and handed him the food tray. She slapped Casey on the arm with the back of her hand. "You can't just let him get up and go."  
  
Casey looked away from the wall. "I din't know he was going."  
  
April turned back to Raph, crossed her arms and stared at him, a growing realization expression on her face.  
  
"Why are you so calm about this?" She asked. "You're usually arguing about staying here or trying to get out."  
  
"First time he actually settles down and she questions it," Casey muttered to himself, then pretended to shield himself against the oncoming hit that April was bound to throw at him. She only gave him a look and turned back to Raph.  
  
"I get it," she said. "Yeah, you think that we'll eventually leave you because you're not persistent about taking off, and then you can walk outta here." She folded her arms again and looked down at Raph.  
  
He stared at her for a second, then his eyes moved to the floor and back to her. He smiled.  
  
"Ya got me," he said, shrugging. Then he said, "you guys can't stop me, the fight that's probably going on right now is my fight."  
  
"Hey, clever April," Casey said, leaning back in her chair and propping his feet against the wall.  
  
April turned around and glared softly at him. Then she turned back to Raph.  
  
"You'll get yourself killed," she said.  
  
"No I won't."  
  
"You really think you're up to fighting don't you?" She asked, head tilted to one side. Raph stared. "You probably wouldn't make it out of this room even if Casey was holding you back."  
  
"Hey, is that supposed to mean something?" Casey asked, taking his feet off the wall.  
  
"Thanks," Raph muttered, looking up at the ceiling.  
  
"I'm just trying to make a point," April said to Casey. "Sorry . . ."  
  
Casey took her hand and gently pulled her on to his knee. He lifted her chin with his finger. "Your problem is, you worry too much." Their faces were about an inch apart.  
  
"No I don't," April said softly, staring into Casey's eyes. Behind them Raph's nose was screwed up in disgust.  
  
"Yes you do," Casey said back in the same tone of voice.  
  
"Well your problem is you just don't care," April retorted softly.  
  
"Of course I do. I care about you," he said, and attempted to kiss her, but she placed her finger on his lips.  
  
Raph gave a final grossed-out look, and started to make his way silently to the door.  
  
"Well if you care about me, then you should care about what I care about," April smiled. "And that's making sure a certain somebody sneaking towards the door stays here."  
  
Raph stopped; he could almost hear the record player screeching to a stop as his triumphant music was broken through.  
  
"Yeah, yeah, sure I do," Casey said, rolling his eyes. "Raph, get back in bed."  
  
"Hey, what's going on?" Hera said as she walked through the door.  
  
"He's just stretching his legs," Casey said, meaning Raph. April moved apart from Casey and stood up.  
  
Hera studied Raph. "It's surprising you CAN stretch your legs, your recovery over the sedative is amazingly fast, but that doesn't mean you're free to go. Get back into bed." She walked with him back to the bed, but he only sat on it.  
  
"Don't you guys sleep around here?" Casey asked the doctor.  
  
Hera chuckled. "When we have to." She looked at her watch. "Now it's time to go check on the other three. I'm worried about Leo's concussion. He should be fine if he stays laying down, but I ought to check it regularly." She walked back out.  
  
April, Casey and Raph all looked at each other.  
  
"She's worried now, and she thinks he's laying down; asleep," April said, worry showing on her tired face. "He's running around New York with a concussion, and he's about to walk straight into a battle."  
  
Casey wrapped his strong arms around her and pulled her back onto his knee.  
  
"He's gonna be fine, he'll make it outta there," he comforted her. He wanted to promise it to her but even he wasn't too sure.  
  
Raph realized he was still staring at the doorway where Hera had disappeared. He looked back at Casey and April.  
  
"If the doc was worried then, wait 'til she finds out none of 'em are in their beds," he said.  
  
April and Casey looked up.  
  
"They'll probably keep an eye on you so you don't disappear," April said, laying her head on Casey's chest.  
  
"Nah, they'll probably be too busy looking for the other three," Casey said.  
  
Raph slowly smiled, eyes glinting.  
  
//  
  
"Okay - a lot more than FIFTEEN!" Donny grunted as he bent back to avoid a fist to the face.  
  
All three had entered through the wooden doors to be greeted in a wide room by a whole group of the Foot, all looking mean and ugly. And for the first time, Mikey and Donny had pretty much had to defeat Leo's opponents for him, because after the first twenty seconds he had been down twice, and wasn't sure which way was left when Donny was calling directions to him where his attackers were coming from.  
  
"Don - I don't think Leo can keep this up!" Mikey yelled past a soldier. He and Donny had their backs to Leo, stopping as many as they could from beating up their brother. Leo was holding off pretty well to say he should have been knocked out on the floor by now.  
  
"Well they can't kill us now!" Donny yelled back. "We haven't even seen who it is who wants us dead!"  
  
Behind them Leo used what felt like the last of his strength to punch a Foot in the face. For a split second he froze still, then it seemed his body realized there was no more strength, and he fell to the floor, landing on his stomach. Donny almost trod on his hand as he was pushed back.  
  
Mikey kicked one last dude in the gut and then turned and dropped next to his fallen brother. Donny stood protectively over them, teeth gritted angrily at these guys, watching them.  
  
The Foot stopped their attacks and stood facing towards the three brothers. Then from the left the mass of black-clothed soldiers parted and a very familiar, ugly face appeared through them. Tatsu walked up to them, seeming almost amused by their positions from the floor. The fact that they were beaten at this point made his eyes light up evilly.  
  
From the floor, Mikey looked up into the face of their enemy. So it was Tatsu who was leading the Foot. He could almost feel Donny thinking the same thing.  
  
Tatsu made a motion with his arm, and four Foot soldiers moved into flanking positions around Leo, Don and Mikey, one roughly grabbed Mikey's arm and tied to pull him up. Mikey jerked him off, and took hold of Leo's arm, who was only just conscious. Mikey pulled his brother up and held him steady as Leo tried to regain his sight.  
  
Tatsu grunted and made another sweep of the arm motion, turned and started to walk back through the Foot. All three brothers were pushed, forced to follow. Leo gave a weak cough and tried his best to walk. He had never felt his head spin so much. He was totally dizzy, he felt sick, and he could feel his heartbeat thudding irritably in his temples. His vision blurred and darkened as soon as he was upright, but as they started to walk it started to fade, and he could see where they were heading. They passed through a large, old, wooden door into a huge room, with large crates stacked around near to the walls. It was a very place. Everything was made from wood, the floor, the walls, the crates and the very high ceiling, even if it wasn't visible in the darkness of the factory. At first Leo thought it was his eyesight that was playing up, but after a few seconds of waiting for everything to go light he realized it must be the huge room.  
  
They were brought into the middle of the room, and stopped in front of a high platform that, as far as they could see, led back to another part of the factory. It was more like a balcony platform used to overlook the work being done in the room, when the factory was up and running. The Foot that had been flanking them backed up to the crates, where, what looked like, the whole clan of Foot soldiers was lined up along the crates in the room. Leo, Don and Mikey were surrounded.  
  
All three of them looked expectantly at the platform after having a good look at their surroundings. They didn't see much except for the outlines of the Foot because of the darkness; but the only light in there was dim, and it seemed to shine right on the platform above them. Nothing in the room made a sound. Leo's arm was still draped around Mikey's neck, and he could feel Donny on his other side, close to him.  
  
"Again we meet."  
  
The sudden voice echoed off the old wooden walls, making it seem twice as threatening and twice as cold. The deep voice that had broken the silence was not something the guys ever wanted to hear again.  
  
Leo, Don and Mikey stopped looking around for the source of the voice, and fixed their eyes back on the platform, where a shape was emerging from the darkness. The cape that flowed behind the large, muscular figure made the slightest whooshing sound as it waved ghost-like. It fell softly onto the back of the shadow that had now moved into the dim light. The razor sharp, metal spikes gleamed from the arms and the helmet; the helmet that they had thought they'd seen the last of. From underneath the helmet were the two glinting eyes; that was all that could bee seen of the face, but that was enough. The figure stood at the edge of the platform, towering above the three teenagers.  
  
Leo, Don and Mikey stared, horrified.  
  
"Shredder . . ." Donny whispered in disbelief.  
  
~  
  
I'm gonna be cruel and end this chapter here, a nice short-ish chapter ( yay! I hope I can get the next chapter up soon. Thanks for the 'gonna' TMNT fan, I'll keep to that. Sorry - but I think I got Raph totally out of character, and I dunno how well I did with April and Casey - I need to work on my soft mushy scenes if I'm eva gunna be a pro! Cya guys, Turtle Power! 


	40. Bait

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
"No dude . . . he's dead . . ." Mikey murmured, staring unblinkingly at the sight above him. "It can't be the Shredder . . ."  
  
"It is," Donny said, swallowing.  
  
The Shredder seemed to glow with anew power and strength, and the light seemed to give him a visible aura.  
  
"No . . ." Leo said, squinting up at the figure.  
  
"Silence!" The Shredder bellowed, looking down at them. They could just make out a jagged scar running across his cheek just below his left eye. The Foot seemed to stop breathing and become statues as if the word had been a spell.  
  
"Many things have changed in my absence," He growled. "Your appearance may have changed, but human form or not, you are the enemy. I face you again, and this time, I will defeat you."  
  
"Don't count on it, Tin face!" Donny shouted. "We could have taken you down any day - you were too coward to face us at full strength!"  
  
"A Ninja strikes at the strength of the enemy, stripping their defenses!" Shredder growled. He half turned his head over his shoulder. A second later someone was pushed forward into the light, and gripped by the arm, tightly, by Shredder.  
  
"Prida!" Mikey and Donny yelled.  
  
Prida looked down at them frightfully, eyes wide. Her hands were bound with filthy rope, and she had a nasty looking scar running across her cheek. Blood had made tear-like streams down her cheek.  
  
"Guys," she cried softly.  
  
"You are loyal to your friends," Shredder spoke. "But friendship causes nothing but pain and suffering. Only a fool has friendship. It slows down a true ninja, and that is why YOU are weak."  
  
"You're wrong Shredder!" Leo said, taking his arms from around Mikey's shoulders and standing himself. "Friendships BRING strength. The more friends, the more power, the stronger our hearts will become to fight for those friends; and the bigger the determination to bring down those who harm them."  
  
"The more friends the bigger chance you get brought down in the many battles for them!" Shredder growled.  
  
"Why don't you just let her go!?" Mikey shouted. "You've got us, what else do you want?"  
  
"The four of you, and the old man who is responsible for your appearance," Shredder announced.  
  
"Our brother is immobilized thanks to your goons!" Donny yelled. "He cannot come!"  
  
Shredder glowered down at them, still gripping Prida's arm. "Then I will send my Foot soldiers to him!"  
  
As soon as he said this, Tatsu appeared from the darkness of the corner and grunted. Four black shadows broke away from the line of the Foot clan and disappeared the way Leo, Donny and Mikey had been brought in.  
  
Leo made an attempt to move after them, but sharp objects were thrust to his neck to keep him back.  
  
Prida's arm was now in pain because this dude was gripping it too hard, but hearing that Raph couldn't even get out of bed made her realize how serious he had been hurt. She felt rage towards this Shred dude like nothing she had felt even to Tooks. And now she had just seen Leo nearly get his neck sliced, she snapped. She gave a sudden jerk out of Shredder's grip, and his grip was broken, leaving scratches where his nails had scraped her skin. He turned to her, surprised, and she kicked his shin as hard as she could. She knew it must have hurt him, but it now felt like she had broken her toe. She tripped in her hurry to back away from him, and banged her elbow on the hard floor.  
  
"Ahh," she cried as he grabbed her again and lifted her off the floor and clean off her feet. He was growling in anger.  
  
"You stupid -!" He snarled as he dropped her and brought his hand across her face with enough force for her to fall back on the floor next to the edge of the platform, nearly making her fall off it. She clung to it, gritting her teeth in pain and fright.  
  
"Prida!" Mikey called.  
  
"Take them and chain them up," Shredder ordered Tatsu. "I will kill them myself when the old man arrives." Giving a final glare at Prida, Shredder disappeared back into the darkness he had entered through.  
  
"No, we have to get out and save Raph!" Leo said, trying his best to push against the Foot soldiers that were forcing them forward. He and his brothers weren't going any where without a fight, and soon Mikey and Donny were kicking, punching and spinning away from the oncoming Foot. They were trying their best to hold their own, but Donny realized it did no good, and he and his brothers were soon overpowered.  
  
//  
  
"They're gone - where have they gone?" Dr. Hera burst into Room 113, startling April and Casey who had been enjoying a peaceful moment sat in the chair, April on Casey's knee while Raph had collapsed on the bed, his tiredness had overwhelmed him at last.  
  
"Who?" April asked, knowing anyway.  
  
"The three brothers - they're not in their room," the doctor said. "Did they come in here?"  
  
"No, we ain't seen 'em," Casey said, pretending to look concerned for their whereabouts.  
  
"Oh no, they've taken off somewhere," Hera groaned. "Leo won't make it very far - he can't just go walking around with a concussion. Let's just hope he hasn't gotten into any more fights!"  
  
She turned and ran out the door, calling for Bruine. They could hear her telling him what had happened, and they heard her say they should check around the hospital and outside in case they hadn't go very far. Hera didn't believe Leo could have got far at least.  
  
April looked at Casey, a strong expression of worry on her tired features again.  
  
"They'll be okay," Casey said gently, rubbing her back. "Listen, you look exhausted, why don't you go take a rest somewhere?"  
  
"I don't want to," She replied. "I have to stay here with Raph." She laid her head on his chest again, and closed her eyes. "I'm not that tired."  
  
Casey smiled, and rested his cheek on her head. He closed his eyes as well.  
  
The room was silent. April's sigh of tiredness was the only sound. The corridors outside were empty, and the only sound in them was the faint humming of a life support machine in the next room.  
  
The door inside the room, to the left, opened without a sound. Two figures dressed in black stood in the doorway, two more were inside the room behind them. The first two glanced at the sleeping April and Casey, and then at the sleeping teenager on the bed. One of the black clothes figures held in his hand a long, silver object: Something that wouldn't be permitted in a hospital. The figures froze when April stirred. She wasn't fully asleep, so they'd have to make this quick and quiet.  
  
The Foot soldier with the dagger crept towards the bed while the other secured the door to the corridors. The armed soldier reached the bed where Raph was laying asleep on his back, and raised the dagger above his head, lining it up with the teenager's heart.  
  
The silence seemed to be an alarm, as Raph's eyes opened and as soon as they saw the black-clothed figure towing over him with a dagger raised he instinctively rolled to his side as quick as a flash - at the same time the Foot soldier brought down the dagger, striking the mattress where Raph had been laying, so close that the dagger caught the teenager's shirt, pinning it to the bed mere centimeters from his side.  
  
"Whoa!" Raph gasped, as the Foot dude ripped the knife out of the mattress, leaped on the bed and pounced at him.  
  
Casey and April snapped their eyes open and only had time to see the Foot soldier pinning Raph down with the dagger inches from his face with Raph trying to hold it off, before April was suddenly thrown to the floor and Casey was punched in the face. He fell back while still in the chair, and the Foot dude jumped on him.  
  
April let out a frightened gasp, and then turned to look at Raph and the other soldier. She grabbed the second chair and brought it round in the air, ramming it into the Foot soldier's side. He fell off Raph and onto the floor, tangled with the chair.  
  
Raph was still holding the dagger and April was breathing heavy as Casey was rolling around on the floor with the other guy. April and Raph looked at the door the Foot had come from to see two more run into the room, one pounced on Raph while the other went for the wide-eyed April. She shrieked as she fell but her cry was cut off as she impacted with the floor, and then the Foot soldier landed on her, trying to wrap his hands around her neck. But she was thrashing around, batting his hands away. He spotted the dagger that Raph had dropped on the floor, and groped for it before grabbing it and raising it above her. She was just about to scream but then a fist rammed into the Foot's face and he fell off her. She was hauled to her feet by Casey, who was then jumped on by the guy who got it by the chair. April was knocked down as the two men fought, and she rolled into the wall, banging her head. Her vision flashed with bright colors, then it cleared and she scrambled over to help Raph, who was dealing with two of the Foot. But before she could reach him, the third dude grabbed her hair, and held her back. Pain shot through her head, but she gritted her teeth in anger and brought her balled fist around to meet his face. He went down and April stepped over him and delivered a solid kick to the groin of another who was fighting Raph. But the dude who she had just punched in the face jumped to his feet and came at her again.  
  
"Ape behi -" Raph shouted, but was thumped in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him. His injuries were slowing down his reaction speeds, and he admitted this to himself when he was thrown into the wall, whacking his head and throwing him into semi-consciousness. The Foot dude now had the chance to kill Raph, and it so happened that the dagger was kicked across the room from April's attacker to him. He picked it up, but before he could even raise it Casey came to the rescue, lashing out his foot to the opponent's face. The man's arm swung uncontrollably as he was knocked out, and the dagger sliced over Casey's arm, creating a thin, deep wound.  
  
Meanwhile April had managed to head-butt her attacker, (something she had picked up from Casey) and crawled away.  
  
The Foot had all now been knocked out except the one April had just dealt with, who was moaning weakly and gripping his head on the floor.  
  
"Raph?" April managed to get to her feet, rushed a few steps forward and dropped back down to her knees again next to her friend. Casey crouched next to her.  
  
"I'm okay," Raph grunted, holding his head as Casey and April helped him to his feet, setting him down on the bed.  
  
Casey stormed over to the conscious Foot member and picked him up by the front of his clothes.  
  
"Who sent you?!" He growled.  
  
"I will tell you nothing!" The Foot spat. As soon as he said that, the other three soldiers suddenly jumped back to life and ran through the door they had entered. April, Raph and Casey turned to look, and as they did the man who Casey was gripping lashed his knee out into Casey's stomach and then ran after his comrades as Casey dropped in, clutching his stomach and growling.  
  
"Great, now they'll probably come back with more," April threw up her hands and sat down next to Raph, massaging her head.  
  
"Yeah, and we won't know who sent 'em," Casey growled. He removed his hand from his stomach.  
  
"Casey your arm," April pointed out worriedly, her heat still racing from the attack.  
  
Casey held his arm up and looked at it. The thin scar had disappeared under the streams of blood that rolled down his arm and dripped to the floor.  
  
The sound of running feet grew louder and Hera and another female doctor ran into the room, eyes widening and confused frowns as they saw the blood on Casey's arm; April who looked as though she had been dragged through a hedge because her hair was a mess and her face was flushed; Raph who was sat on the bed with a disorientated expression, his own tousled hair looking more wild than normal; the chairs on their sides, and the messy bed sheets with a jagged rip in the mattress.  
  
"What the hell just happened?" Hera asked, eyebrows now raised.  
  
"Dudes in black attacked," Raph said, one of his eyes half closed.  
  
"What?" Hera frowned, asking for a better explanation.  
  
Casey looked at April before turning back to the doctor.  
  
"He meant dudes in white, er doctors," Casey said. "Got the wrong patient, he got a little, er, freaked out," he waved his hands, a half grimace half smile on his face.  
  
"What did you do to your arm?" Her asked.  
  
"Oh, this?" Casey indicated his seeping wound. "Oh I er," he noticed she was now looking at the blood tinted dagger on the floor, a very suspicious expression forming.  
  
There was now a questionable silence in the room, very uncomfortable for the three guilty-faced people. Raph thought quickly.  
  
"Hey is that - Leo just went past, hey LEO!" Raph called, looking past the two doctors to the corridor beyond them.  
  
Hera and the other woman spun around and looked out the corridor. Hera glanced back at Raph with a frown.  
  
"Leo?" She asked. "He can't walk he has a concussion."  
  
"Hey - I think I know my own brothers," Raph said.  
  
Hera gave them all another look and then dashed off out the room with the other doctor, hoping to catch up with the Leo that wasn't there. They could hear her calling his name as she went down the corridor.  
  
Raph turned to April and Casey. "You know I have to go now, if I hurry maybe I can follow the Foot back -"  
  
"It's Laid Street you want," April said. "An old factory there - but you can't go you're - well, look at you, you look -"  
  
"I'd hurry up if I were you," Casey said. April frowned at him.  
  
Raph nodded. "I'll be back," he promised. Before he could move April threw her arms around him, and kissed his cheek.  
  
"You better be," she said, and he took off out the room, about to go left in the corridor but stopped. Hera had just rounded the corner.  
  
"Hey, what are you - ?" She began, but Raph turned and ran the other way. " - Hey stop!" She started to run after him.  
  
Casey and April stepped out of the room, making the doctor skid to a halt before she bashed into them.  
  
"Where's he going?" The doctor demanded.  
  
"Dunno, he had another freak attack; damn it, got by us again," Casey said, pretending he was steamed. April hid her smile as Hera exhaled and put her hands on her hips.  
  
//  
  
"Leo, Leo you okay?"  
  
Leo could hear Mikey's voice echo in the background of his mind. He felt himself lift from the depths of unconsciousness and could see the dark start to lighten as he opened his eyes.  
  
"M . . . Mikey?" Leo breathed. He remembered what had happened; he and his brothers and resisted the Foot, but they had knocked Leo out.  
  
"Yeah bro, it's me," Mikey said, grasping his brother's hand.  
  
"Where's Donny?" Leo asked, his vision returning slowly. So far he could make out a stone, dark room. He felt cold metal around his wrist and knew they were in chains.  
  
"Here Leo," Don's voice spoke. Leo heard the clink of chains.  
  
"Hey Leo, welcome back to us," came another familiar, feminine voice.  
  
"Prida?" Leo smiled. He was now awake enough to see that he had been laying on his side on the cold stone floor, his wrists bound in heavy, cold metal cuffs attached to a length of heavy chains that were fixed firmly onto the wall. He looked up to see Mikey chained next to him, and Donny on the other side of Mike, along the wall. They had been spaced out along the room. They must be underground, underneath the old factory because down here was stone not wood. Leo looked on his other side to where Prida was also chained. There were dry bloodstains down her face from the wound Shredder had obviously inflicted on her. Either him or his good for nothing Foot members when they had dragged her away on the street near April's apartment.  
  
"Take it easy Leo, you still have concussion," Donny warned.  
  
Leo held his head as he pushed himself up into a sitting position. "Why are we down here?" He asked. "Why . . . didn't they kill us already? That's what Shredder wants, right?"  
  
"He said he'll kill us himself as soon as the old man arrives," Mikey said.  
  
"Why DOES he want to kill you?" Prida asked, a hint of fear in her words. The fact that someone wanted her friends dead was pretty scary, especially when they kidnap anyone to get what they want.  
  
"It's a long story," Donny said. "But to cut it short, he's just a really obsessed dude who has held a grudge against us ever since one of us attacked the Foot to save April."  
  
"What happened?" Prida asked, bringing her knees up to her chest. She wanted to know the full story.  
  
"Well, it started with Shred head Foot clan plaguing the city with a crime wave," Mikey started. "And April was doing a report on it. We didn't know her then; and Shredder obviously saw her reports and thought she was to close to finding them out, so he ordered his clan to go . . . get rid of her. It just happened that the night before this we saved her from some thugs who were stealing stuff from the News Van. She didn't see who saved her, but Raph dropped one of his Sais, and she picked it up. So then he went looking for her to get it back, and found her, but she had been knocked out by the Foot who would have finished her. Raph kicked their butts and brought April back to our Sewer. Man you should have heard her scream when she saw us," Mikey laughed.  
  
"Yeah, we all started shouting," Donny smiled. "She scared us to death."  
  
"Yeah, anyway, after she had stopped screaming," Mikey continued. "Master Splinter told her our origin, blah blah, and she became our friend, happy ending." Mikey finished.  
  
"It wasn't really a happy ending," Donny said. "One of the Foot soldiers that was sent to get rid of April followed Raph back to our lair, and after we had taken April back to her apartment, we returned home to find it had been trashed and our Sensei gone. So then we all went back to April's place, distraught, and waited until we could find any sign of Splinter. We were all upset, so it lead to fights, and Raph stormed out onto the building's roof. A few minutes later he was thrown through the skylight by the Foot, unconscious. They'd been battling it out on the roof. Shredder had obviously sent his goons to April's, knowing that's where we'd be. Ya see, he wanted us out the way. He felt threaten because of us. So then the Foot started to trash April's place, and we were getting pretty beat up -"  
  
"And that's where Casey came to the rescue," Mikey interrupted with a smile. "He'd seen the fight on the roof from another building and came over - coz he had had a fight with Raph two days earlier, so I guess he wanted to know what was going on."  
  
"Yeah, well anyway we got our shells kicked," Donny took over, "and April's place was burnt down. After that we retreated to April's farm house, Raph woke up, and we went back. From there we Casey managed to get into the Foot clan club, and freed Master Splinter, while we were fighting the Foot on the streets, then we fought the big boss himself -"  
  
"He kicked our shells, it hurt, but in the end, we won," Mikey grinned. "Well, it was Master Splinter who won. He kinda came to our rescue, and defeated Shred head, landing him in a dumpster truck. We thought he had been killed, but -" he sighed "- not long later, while we had been staying at April's new place, we eventually found out he was alive again! And then we finally defeated him, AGAIN, and hey, look, who's that guy upstairs in the metal helmet? The dude will not stay dead - I don't think Hell will accept him."  
  
Prida blinked. "Whoa." She thought for a few seconds. "So . . . what's your origin?"  
  
Mikey and Donny looked at each other, and then they both started to explain to Prida how they became mutant turtles, and how their Master taught them in Ninjitsu. Prida was pretty amazed, and after they had finished she couldn't help but stare open mouthed at them.  
  
"We can't complain we've had a boring life," Donny said.  
  
Leo, who had been listening to everything, smiled slightly, and leant against the stone wall. The room filled with silence. Mikey broke it:  
  
"Why does he wanna wait for the dude to be here before he wastes us?" He asked.  
  
Donny stared at the stone floor for a second. "Well this old man is looking for US, and a being that magical is bound to have some kind of power that enables him to find what he wants. Shredder wants this old man for his power, so if he kills us before the old man gets here, the dude is gonna know what's happened and, well, there'd be no reason for him to come here."  
  
"We're bait," Mikey stated.  
  
"Yeah," Donny said. "But if we're down here, and Shred head is up there, then the old man can, I dunno, just zap himself straight down here without Shredder knowing."  
  
The metal door on the far side of the room clicked unlock and groaned open. Six Foot members walked in, one with a chain of keys.  
  
"Er, I have a feeling Shredder's just realized that," Mikey said, as the Foot made they're way over to the chained teenagers.  
  
~  
  
Hope you liked, more comin soon. SFAM. 


	41. Fire and Foot

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
"Man I hate being pulled around," Mikey moaned quietly. "Chain them down there, unchain them and bring them here." He mimicked a high-pitched voice of Shredder.  
  
All four of them had been unchained from the cold, stone room and were being taken back to the huge room. They were lead back through the dark corridors, everything was wooden again; the walls, the floor, and they guessed the ceiling too. They couldn't see very much, but small fire torches were hung on brackets on the wall, and they only gave enough light to reach the wall around them. They gave out warmth as they went passed, dancing to one side as the Foot swept past with their prisoners. The flickering light made the Foot soldiers look even darker and sinister looking.  
  
Leo stared dreary eyed at the walls as he went past, and then glanced to his side at his brothers and Prida, whose eyes were all lit up strangely in the dark corridors, even though their eyes were cast down to the floor.  
  
Prida glanced up and looked at Leo, with no change of expression apart from the one she had worn since they had been unchained; it was a set expression that gave Leo the thought that she was going to take whatever fate fell on her with strong shoulders. She wasn't exactly smiling at Leo, but her face seemed to make him feel calmer. Her eyes were dark except for the bright tint of purple, lit up by the fire torches. Leo reflected her expression, and she put her head back down. Mikey and Donny were also staring at the floor as they were lead. All of their wrists were still in the metal cuffs, fastened together, Leo, Don's and Mikey's behind their back, Prida's bound in front.  
  
Because their heads were all dropped they didn't notice they had entered the huge, dark room until the walls disappeared from the sides of their vision. They all looked up, not that they could see a great deal because it was so dark. But the platform Shredder had stood upon a while ago was still bathed in dim light, which now seemed to have dimmed even more.  
  
The Foot soldiers that had been leading them gave them all a forceful push and they fell onto their knees, glaring behind their shoulders at the dudes in black.  
  
"So what brings us here?" Donny demanded, even though he already knew the reason.  
  
"The question is, what will YOU bring here?" Shredder suddenly reappeared on the platform. His deep voice dark and threatening.  
  
"Look, you really think this old man is gonna walk right in here just for us?" Mikey spoke up.  
  
Shredder slowly leveled his face to look down at Mikey. He glowered at the teenager.  
  
"We will see." He growled, quietly but threateningly. He turned and started to disappear into the darkness of the platform. "Let us see if you can fight my Foot soldiers with your hands bound," He said over his shoulder. "Do not kill them, I still need them all," he directed to his clan, and then his presence disappeared completely into the old factory.  
  
Leo, Don, Mikey and Prida froze for a fast second, before they all realized that Shredder was giving his clan the permission the beat the living daylights out of them. They all jumped to their feet and spun around to face the Foot soldiers that were now coming towards them. If they hadn't had masks on they would have been grinning evilly. Behind the group that were now making their way towards them, three or four men had picked up bladeless weapons that were leaning against the wall near the corridor they had arrived through.  
  
One of the armed soldiers rushed at Leo, and brought his Staff straight down. Leo dodged out the way and backed away a few steps. It was difficult to move with his hands behind his back.  
  
Mikey and Donny had managed to roll backwards together as three soldiers came at them. Donny guessed this was an attempt to lead the old man here quicker; if he could feel that Don and his brothers were getting beaten, the old man might just appear to save them earlier.  
  
"Donny, look out!" Prida called from the floor. She had been knocked back to the ground, and was now fearfully watching her friends fight.  
  
Donny looked quickly to his right to see the end of a Bo rushing at him. He ducked, only just missing the blow that was a mere centimeter from his head. He had no time to try and free his hands from behind his back.  
  
Leo managed to come at another Foot soldier with a roundhouse kick. But in doing so he lost his balance and fell onto his back. Another Foot soldier came at him but he planted his feet into the dude's gut and kicked him away.  
  
Prida could not just sit there. She moved as a Foot dude stumbled past her, and jumped to her feet. She saw Mikey was pretty busy with too many opponents, so she took a run and kicked one guy who was about to bash Mikey in the back. He fell flat on his face, as Prida whirled and kicked another guy. Although she lost her balance and the force of the kick meant her going down as well, she was surprised she did that. Her friends must be rubbing off on her, she thought with a half smile. Her smile vanished when she was grabbed by the arm and lifted up roughly. She stared into the black mask of a Foot soldier, but she didn't stare at it long; she socked him one and he let go, stumbling back.  
  
"Wow," she breathed, watching the guy finally fall back. She looked at her bound fist. "OW!" She waved it around, repeating 'ow, ow, ow!' And amazingly as she was waving her hands around she managed to whack a soldier who was coming at her from behind, in the face. She stopped moving and looked down at the moaning man.  
  
The three brothers and Prida were doing well considering they all had their hands bound and the guys were still aching from the last Foot fight. But as many as they knocked down the bad boys just kept popping back up for more, and Leo, Donny and Mikey all knew they couldn't keep this up.  
  
Leo found himself fighting better than he thought he could, though the Foot were getting in nearly the same amount of kicks and punches as he delivered, and he realized it was weakening his body even more. He had moved closer to Prida, who was ignored by a majority amount of soldiers, but was proving to be a harder opponent than the Foot thought.  
  
Prida gritted her teeth and tried to kick another Foot member. But he grabbed her leg and yanked it, and she fell to the floor hard with a cry. She looked up at the masked man and brought her other leg up and kicked him where it hurt. He let go and groaned in pain, and she jumped back up on her feet and ran into him, pushing him over. She nodded her head quickly and shortly at him, and then turned around to see where her friends where. But as she turned she was struck very hard across the face, and her hair flew up as she fell down. When she looked back up Leo was stood over her, and someone in black had just fallen down next to her. Mouth open, she nodded gratefully to Leo, who did the same, but then a fist from nowhere struck the side of his face and he fell down.  
  
"Leo!" Prida jumped up, but then she was struck down again. Her face had never known so much pain in one day before.  
  
The Foot soldier who had punched Leo and Prida suddenly jerked and fell to the floor. Mikey was stood behind him, breathing heavy with arms still tied behind his back. He had no time to see if Leo or Prida was okay because four other dudes came at him.  
  
Donny could tell they were losing this battle. But that was why Shredder allowed his clan to beat them up. Don just hoped Shredder wasn't going to allow the Foot to beat any of them into unconsciousness.  
  
They were all soon being punched, kicked until Leo, Don and Mikey were so exhausted they had been forced back and fallen on the floor together, gasping for breath and with faces screwed up because of the pain and aching.  
  
"Stop!" Shredder's voice called from somewhere in the darkness. He appeared through the mass of Foot members. His cloak swept soundlessly behind him as he walked with sharp footsteps up to his fallen enemies. He stopped in from of them, and watched as one of his clan dragged Prida by the arm and threw her down next to her friends.  
  
"Tie them up!" Shredder commanded, and three or four disappeared into the darkness, reappearing seconds later with thick looking rope. Leo, Donny, Mikey and Prida were soon bound tightly together, backs against the others and angry, silent snarls on their faces. Blood from Donny's cut eye seeped down onto his shoulder where it streamed slowly until it met Prida's shoulder pressed against his, and soaked into her navy top. She did not notice though.  
  
"It turns to a waiting game from here on," Shredder said, glowering down at the four helpless captives.  
  
Suddenly Tatsu strode up to Shredder and mumbled something. Shredder growled.  
  
"Imbeciles!" He said angrily. "I will deal with those incompetents myself, keep an eye on these four," he motioned to Leo, Don, Mikey and Prida, who had been trying to listen to what Tatsu said; it had sounded like the four Foot soldiers Shredder had sent to assassinate Raph had come back. Though if they were unsuccessful or they had caused some other problem to make Shredder mad they didn't know.  
  
With a sweep of his cloak, Shredder turned and disappeared through the sea of soldiers. Tatsu remained standing where he was, turning his ugly head to glare at the four captives. They all glared back.  
  
Suddenly one black-clothed Foot member appeared out of the darkness from behind the rest with a fire torch in his hand.  
  
"The forth teenager has broken into the factory in the west side!" He shouted in a strange, deep voice. He pointed down the corridor that led into darkness.  
  
Half of the Foot clan in the large room stared at the one who spoke for a split second before turning and heading for the corridor he was pointing at. Tatsu unfolded his crossed arms and watched his soldiers run into the corridor.  
  
The soldier who held the torch disappeared quickly into the darkness of the walls. Through the sounds of the running feet and the shouts of the clan another sound from where he had disappeared could be heard. It sounded like he had kicked something, and the next second liquid came gushing across the entrance to the corridor and ran into the feet of the rest of the clan, who looked down, unbothered at it. It just seemed someone had knocked something down in their rush into the corridor. But the light from the touch could be seen as it floated down to the barrel that had just been knocked over, and lit the liquid.  
  
"Gasoline!" One of the Foot members shouted.  
  
The fire suddenly sprang up and followed the trail of liquid, roaring as it grew higher, totally blocking the entrance to the corridor.  
  
Tatsu stood back as the clan tripped and stumbled away from the flames that were rolling towards them, growing on the gasoline.  
  
One black figure emerged again from the shadows and swooped and picked something off the floor, then, made his way to the four captives, who were bathed in the light and heat from the fire that had created a semi circle around them.  
  
The rest of the Foot clan was too busy trying to escape the evading fire as it followed the gasoline that had spread almost to the shadows across the other end of the room to where it had started. They took no notice of the lone Foot soldier, but Tatsu did. He stepped back as the clan rushed past him, and then narrowed his eyes at the Foot member who had caused the fire.  
  
The lone Foot soldier quickly grabbed a katana, from its leaning place on the wall, before the flames scorched his hand. He grasped the sword in both hands and ran at the four captives. Leo, Don, Mike and Prida gasped as the soldier reached them, and raised the sword, preparing to bring it down . . .  
  
~  
  
Sorry about the ugly remark about Tatsu, but in the movie at one point I know he did look pretty ugly, and hey, it wasn't bad ugly, no, well, it was kinda evil ugly, lol. But it adds to the description, so sorry. / Right I realized the whole of my story has so many mistakes in it's unbelievable, so I'm editing and correcting alla my chapters, and in the past week when I didn't have internet to entertain me all I had was the computer, so I'm correcting and re-uploading my chapters as I go along.\ 


	42. Transformation again

Radical Transformation  
  
~  
  
The fire was reflected in the blade as it was raised, and as it came down so were their fearful expressions. It sliced through the air and bit effortlessly into the rope that held the four captives. The rope loosened and fell to the floor.  
  
Leo, Donny, Mikey and Prida all breathed and looked at the rope, then looked, stunned, up at the Foot soldier.  
  
Suddenly Tatsu stormed up to the soldier, face twisted in an ugly snarl, and grabbed the Foot by the front of his clothes, pulling him closer to keep his grip firm. With his other hand he reached and pulled off the Foot member's head mask. Underneath was a tousled mess of sandy colored hair and a red bandanna.  
  
"Raph?!" Leo breathed from the floor. Donny, Mikey and Prida all stared, surprised. Prida was overjoyed to see he was alright, but it just didn't show on her face. Raph looked as though the beating he took wasn't going to heal too quickly: His cheek was bruised, he had a small gauze bandage taped to his forehead half under his bandana and he was slightly unstable on his feet.  
  
With effort, Raph wrenched himself from Tatsu's grasp and stumbled back, tossing the thing he had picked up off the floor to his brothers and Prida. It clinked as it hit the floor, and they saw it was the chain of keys to their metal cuffs.  
  
Donny quickly grabbed it and hutched on his butt closer to Mikey so he could unlock his cuffs.  
  
Tatsu started for Raph, who threw a punch, landing it on Tatsu's cheek. He did not stumble or move, except to turn his head back and glare at the teenager. Raph looked at his throbbing fist and then back at Tatsu.  
  
"Erm," Raph said, and then was grabbed by his stolen black Foot uniform and thrown into the air, landing heavily on his back, feet from the wave of fire that was still burning and crackling.  
  
The rest of the Foot clan had recovered from the sudden fire attack and started to make their way over to help Tatsu (not that he needed it) and over to the now free Mikey and Donny, who was helping Leo and Prida.  
  
Mikey turned to the Foot while Donny worked on Leo's cuffs. Prida was watching, fearfully, as Tatsu landed another blow to Raph, and another. But then the teenager found his feet again and landed a solid kick to the gut, and at last Tatsu groaned in pain, and bent forward. Raph was swarmed by Foot soldiers before he could do any more damage to Tatsu.  
  
"Hurry Donny!" Prida cried, glancing at Donny who had just unlocked Leo's wrists.  
  
"I am, I am!" Donny said, rushing over to Prida.  
  
Leo rushed over to help his brother, and as soon as Donny unchained Prida he threw the keys aside and grabbed her shoulders.  
  
"Prida - you gotta get out!" He said. "Go get the police or something - but just -" He didn't finished. A Foot soldier had thrown a chain link around his neck and was not being kind. Donny groped at the chain around his neck, trying to slip his fingers underneath it. He and the soldiers were stumbling all over the place as Donny was gasping for breath. He managed to get his fingers between the chain and his windpipe. He brought his elbow back into the chest of the Foot and then summoned the strength to throw him over his shoulder. The dude landed on his back and stayed there. Donny coughed and massaged his throat, before turning to find Prida. She was busy with her own opponents, standing behind Mikey and trying to do as much damage as she could to the ones who got past Mikey and thought about sneaking up behind him. Donny hoped she wouldn't get hurt. Before he could think any more he spun automatically and grabbed the fist that held a blunt object that was aiming for his head. He twisted the arm and the dude spun over and landed on the floor, tripping over another clumsy soldier. Donny made a 'pff' sound and shook his head.  
  
Through the shadows of the main entrance the large, spiky edged figure of Shredder emerged, staring at the fighting that had broken out while he was dealing with the three blunderings that had returned. He stared around, unnoticed by anyone, and wondered how his captives could have gotten free. He saw his right-hand, Tatsu, and watched as he and other soldiers fight one of the teenagers. Shredder paused for a slit second. He counted four brothers, when there should have been three. Shredder realized immediately that the forth must have stolen the uniform of one of the Foot soldiers he sent to kill that teenager, which explains why only three came back. Shredder disappeared back into the shadows.  
  
Tatsu was pretty steamed about being kicked in the stomach, and was doing well by proving how angry that made him to Leo and Raph.  
  
"Raph - why the hell did you risk your life coming here?!" Leo shouted to his brother, blocking a punch that was coming his way. "You just won't admit when you're down!"  
  
"Hey - you're the one with the concussion!" Raph yelled. "Don't you tell me whose kiddin' themselves!"  
  
"There's nothing wrong with me -" Leo said, and as he stumbled back was caught in the face by a fist from Tatsu, who moved on to deal with Raph while the Foot tried to finish Leo.  
  
"Pft! Yeah Leo!" Raph retorted, before he himself was punched in the temple by Tatsu, who was on a role. "Okay ugly - you're gonna pay for tha -" Tatsu stopped him from finishing his sentence with a series of punches and kicks. Blood droplets flew from Raph's nose.  
  
In front, Leo was not doing any better even though he was facing the inexperienced Foot. His vision was blurring for some reason all of a sudden, and his head throbbed painfully. He couldn't see the attacks coming at him. Before he knew it he was on the floor, his arms shaking with his weight because he was propping himself up, head dropped and breathing heavy.  
  
"Stop!" The deep, cold voice of Shredder commanded twice in less than an hour.  
  
Everyone turned to look at him, and saw he had, in his tight grasp, Raph; Shredder's hand was grasping his jaw and tilting his head, with the sharp spikes from his other hand pressed against his exposed neck. Raph's nose was bleeding badly, and it was apparent from the beating he had taken earlier and the one he had just received from Tatsu that he couldn't get out of this if he wanted to. His stolen Foot uniform had been ripped and torn, showing his gray t-shirt and jeans underneath.  
  
His brothers ceased their attacks immediately and Prida gasped. They were all breathing heavy, all bleeding. The fire around them had spread even further around the room, dancing away and slowly eating at the wooden floor.  
  
Shredder seemed to pause for a second or two as if waiting for them to dare and do anything. They didn't.  
  
"So, we have all four here," he growled, looking into the face of each of his teenage enemies. "And yet one should be dead, and the old man should be here. Neither have happened, but I know that one of those can happen right now, if I choose to." He forced Raph's head back further to one side and put pressure on the points. Two thin red streams of blood streamed slowly down his neck. "OR I can have the girl terminated," Shredder suddenly said, and Tatsu grabbed Prida, whipped a knife from a sheath strapped to his ankle and held it against Prida's throat. She whimpered quietly in fear, eyes wide.  
  
Donny and Mikey looked helplessly to Tatsu who held Prida with a knife to her throat, and then to Shredder who had Raph. Donny, for perhaps the first time, was whispering panicky in his head 'what do I do? What can I do? What should I do? I don't know . . .' He could almost hear Mikey's thoughts saying the same.  
  
"You have no reason to kill Prida," Donny heard himself saying in a quieter tone than he wanted. "Let her go, she has nothing to do with this."  
  
"Exactly the reason to kill her," Shredder growled. "She is no use to me, I will soon have the old man, and power will be mine; and I have you four, after so long I can crush you right now . . . But I will have to wait. You are the bait I have set to lure the old man here, and when I have his power, I can dispose of you in ways you cannot even imagine."  
  
Donny and Mikey shuddered invisibly. They could imagine some pretty nasty stuff. Leo, who was on his stomach on the floor, closed his eyes, trying his best to send a telepathic message to this man, warning him of the danger that might happen if he were to turn up. Not knowing if it worked or not, Leo felt his strength disappear and his head fell to the floor, completely drained. All he could do was listen and hope that neither Raph nor Prida were injured, or Mikey and Donny.  
  
"I can kill her, and I can kill him," Shredder said, loving the control he had right now. He jerked Raph.  
  
"You won't be killing anybody . . ."  
  
Everyone turned around to where the new voice had come from. It had sounded powerful, wise, and yet old. They all directed their eyes to the figure that stood in the darkness, silhouette. Then suddenly the fire roared and rose in the air, the high flames took the form of a howling wolf head, and illuminated the old man that now stood there. He calmly walked through the fire that had returned to its continuous dancing. The flames did not do any harm to this man, and as he walked out of it, it trailed behind like a cloak, as though it was weakly attracted to him like a magnet. It faded and returned to the line of fire.  
  
"At last," Shredder growled in a whisper. "You have made me wait long enough old man, now it is time for me to take what I want."  
  
"I know what you want," the old man said calmly. Now he had emerged into the light of the dim bulb above and the stronger fire light they could all see that he was still dressed in the many pocketed trench coat, but it was not fastened, and now his clothing was visible: underneath he wore a dark red robe, pattered with gold symbols. Around his neck were many different amulets and crystals in thin, gold wire frames on black chains. On his face, which was old with a pure white beard and long white hair, were blue painted symbols and patterns. His eyes were turquoise, almost jewel-like. His face was old, with a weathered look about it, but had the air of great magnificence and power, as well as wisdom and importance. All this was the impression off this man that everyone in the room felt.  
  
"And I know what you seek," Shredder said, eyes on the old man. "You seek these four boys, and I have them."  
  
At this some of the Foot soldiers stepped up and restrained Donny and Mikey. Leo was left on the floor, eyes closed. He was still conscious, but only just. He wanted to be able to pick his head up and take a quick look at this man, but he couldn't. He didn't have the strength. But when the man had made his appearance, Leo suddenly felt calmer, relaxed slightly, as though he had been given a comforting sedative that he needed. He also had the idea that the only reason he hadn't slipped into unconsciousness was because the man had somehow stopped that from happening.  
  
"You know what I want," Shredder said.  
  
"Yes," the old man said. "I realize the situation you have created to attain it, as well." He spoke with the strong air of a wise teacher you know you can never prove wrong, or trick.  
  
"I do not know why you need these teenagers," Shredder said. "It is not my business therefore I will not ask, but I have a certain vengeance against them, and I will not hesitate to kill them." It was a threat; a threat to the old man that, in other words, meant that Shredder would kill them if the old man didn't give Shredder the power he wanted from him.  
  
I understand," the old man spoke calmly, no change of expression, or tone of voice. "Do you understand that I possess the ability to control beings?"  
  
As if to prove it he raised one of his arm and held his fingertips stretched out at the group of Foot soldiers restraining Donny. They slowly let him go and stepped back with silent footsteps, all staring at the man. Everyone else in the room watched as Donny, mouth parted slightly, started to walk in a trance-like state towards the old man. Everyone watched the teenager as he walked up to the man's outstretched fingers. The old man slowly dropped his arm, and Donny remained statue-still, eyes now closed.  
  
"You are telling me that you could do the same to me?" Shredder growled. "You could, but you are in my territory, surrounded by MY clan of Ninjas! You could not control the whole lot, and think what could happen after you take off with your prizes. I know there are MANY people out there who would die to get their hands on you, and I can team with them. We would be unstoppable and you know it. You would only take these four boys, who you need, leaving the girl behind. Would you like to have the death of an innocent girl on your conscience?"  
  
"You are right," the old man said. "I would not like to be responsible for that death. I am not heartless, like yourself . . . though the young lady is important in future events, and it may not be wise to kill her."  
  
Prida looked at Shredder and then at the old man, the cold blade of the knife was still pressed against her neck.  
  
There was a sudden noise behind Tatsu who had his back to the shadows, and then suddenly his knife hand was yanked away from Prida's neck, he was turned, and punched smack on the nose by -  
  
"Casey!" Mikey shouted, surprised.  
  
Prida fell forward, turned and scrambled away on her butt. No one took notice of her because most of the Foot soldiers were now rushing towards Casey.  
  
"Thought you guys might need my help," Casey said, pushing back the wave of Foot soldiers that came at him at once.  
  
Suddenly Raph was no longer being held at spike point by Shredder, he had disappeared into thin air, and, as Shredder was looking around baffled, he saw that Leo had also disappeared, and Mikey was rushing over to help Prida up.  
  
"C'mon let's go!" He said, taking her hand and running over to the old dude and Donny, who was shaking his head, the trance broken. Casey had brought them just enough time to get out of there.  
  
"Casey?" Donny said, frowning, being pulled along to the main exit of the factory by Mikey. "Casey! C'mon!"  
  
Casey twirled his favorite hockey stick, knocking down a circle of soldiers, and with a last punch broke away from the attacks and followed the old man, Donny, Mikey and Prida, who, he was glad to see, was alright.  
  
Shredder roared with rage. "GET THEM!"  
  
The Foot clan, some picking themselves off the floor, followed Casey as he ran after his friends. Donny, Mikey and Prida glanced back to make sure he was following.  
  
"Where's the old man?" Mikey shouted, feeling out of breath already, his head pounding. They all glanced over their shoulders again to look for the man, but all they saw behind them was Casey, and the light from the fire rapidly disappear as they ran away from it.  
  
"Where's Raph and Leo!?" Prida shouted, and stopped.  
  
"Prida c'mon!" Donny halted and grabbed her arm.  
  
Casey ran up to them, grabbing Prida's other arm as he ran. Mikey and Donny followed.  
  
"Let's get outta here!" Casey yelled. "April's outside waiting for us!  
  
"The old man disappeared, along with Leo and Raph!" Mikey yelled.  
  
They all ran down the dark corridor that lead to the exit, but up ahead where human shadows, and they guessed it was of the rest of the Foot clan Raph had managed to go to the west side of the factory. But before they all reached the creeping shadows, they were suddenly attacked my another, smaller shadow, and as it came into the dim light they saw it was -  
  
"Master Splinter!" Mikey said, surprised and happy. Splinter smiled warmly, his old cane in one hand.  
  
"Aghh!" Prida screamed shortly, stopped and stared at the rat, mouth wide open.  
  
"Oh no - Prida it's okay!" Mikey said, grabbing her hand and pulling her along. "He's our Sensei - our father."  
  
Prida still stared, shocked as she was pulled by Mikey past the four foot rat. He smiled politely at her, and Prida turned around away from him, brow furrowing, staring at the rushing floor and mouthing the words 'rat - big, walking rat!' to herself.  
  
Casey nodded at Splinter as he joined their group. He had never seen the old sensei run, but as he was doing so now, he looked much different than an old being, he looked younger somehow, and much more energetic than was thought.  
  
They ran through the entrance they had come through into this factory of Hell, and out the doors into the cool air of a dark dawn. The sky was lit with the orange of the rising sun, but it still cast shadows between buildings. April suddenly appeared, having been hiding in the shadows with a metal bar in her hands to protect herself. She run up to Donny and Mikey and hugged them, whispering that she was glad they were safe. Then she turned and quickly hugged Prida.  
  
"I'm so glad you're okay Prida!" April said as they were all creeping around the building into the shadows of the building. "Where's Leo and Raph?!" She asked, panicked.  
  
"Safe, I hope," Donny said.  
  
"Splinter!" April said, surprised. "How did you get here?"  
  
"With the help of a father's bond to his sons," Splinter replied wisely. Prida was still staring at him, her eyes were wide, and her mouth was parted slightly now.  
  
The group of six sped around the corner to the left of the factory, and ran through a maze of buildings and alleyways. As they were running through one dark alleyway between two old, towering buildings a sudden orb of light appeared in front of them and seemed to explode soundlessly, giving out more glowing light, growing until it shaped itself into a human shape, and then it exploded again and the light became blinding. Donny, Mikey and Prida shielded their eyes; Casey protectively wrapped his arms around April and turned them both away from the light; Splinter raised a hand over his eyes and moved into the shadows. Strange happenings or not he didn't want to be seen by a stray passerby.  
  
When they all looked back there were three figures, seemingly made of silver fluid-like, glowing metal. Then the details and colors started to grow, and the silver glow died out. The middle and taller form was recognizable as the old man, and the other two, staring at their hands confusedly, were recognizable as Leo and Raph.  
  
"Leo . . . Raph . . ." Donny said, amazed at their stunning entrance. "You're alright . . ."  
  
"You are not clear of danger yet," the old man spoke, looking down at Donny, who stared into those misty turquoise eyes, as though his gaze was ensnared by some invisible power. When he spoke Leo and Raph stared at him as though seeing him for the first time. Then they looked back at their brothers, April, Casey and Prida. They only just noticed the dark form of Splinter in the shadows.  
  
Mikey stepped forward, shakily. "You're . . . here to turn us back, aren't you?" He asked.  
  
Before the old man could answer Donny stepped next to Mikey.  
  
"Why exactly do you WANT to change us back?" He asked, eyes narrowed in slight confusion, but still he stared into those eyes. "Why is it important that you change us back?"  
  
The old man studied Donny's own eyes; looking deep into them. He was not pondering his answer, he was studying this teenager, who asked a question he didn't think he would be asked.  
  
"Your transformation was an accident," he said finally, in a soft voice. "It should not have happened, therefore it disturbed the balance of the magical astral plane, an unconscious dimension that allows me to use the magic powder that was accidentally added to you pizza. I must realign this balance if I am to gain access to the strongest, most powerful magic I can conjure from this dimension. It is for the sake of my home world, but I shall not go into detail about that."  
  
All four brothers, April, Casey and Prida stared at the man, and then seemed to regain themselves and close their mouths. Prida stared at the scene; it was incredible what she had come to learn about her friends. Then she frowned, where had that rat man gone?  
  
"And now . . . is the time to change you back," the old man said, something in his tone had changed slightly.  
  
Leo, Donny, Raph and Mikey looked up from staring at the ground to him. They glanced at each other, nervous. Mikey felt unsafe in this alleyway. To him it still felt too close to the factory.  
  
Behind them, April took Casey's hand, and he held her with both of his. They stared as the man closed his eyes and raised his hands as if they were hovering over a large crystal ball, and then suddenly Leo, Donny, Raph and Mikey began to glow. They frowned, amazed, and looked at their glowing hands. Prida watched, fascinated, as her friend's bandannas turned silver, and looked like they were made of smooth, fluid metal. Then the rest of them turned silver, color disappeared, and the shimmering white glow around them brightened. They looked like human shaped bodies of fluid silver metal. Casey, April and Prida hadn't realized their mouths had opened, but they continued to stare until the glows were too bright and the guys could not be seen because it was too intense. Casey, again, shielded April against the bright light, and Prida squinted, determined to watch it all, but she screwed her eyes shut and raised her hand to her eyes. The shadows Splinter was hidden in were lit up, and he too shielded his eyes. Then, as quick as it had grown, the light began to fade, and the shadows returned, concealing Splinter again. Prida opened her eyes and Casey and April turned back to see the glowing white light grow smaller until four spheres of light were recognized. The light stopped fading and seemed to pulse for about two seconds, before it then seemed to explode backwards and was though it got sucked into the guys. It disappeared at their hearts, where it seemed to glow inside them, then it disappeared completely.  
  
The whole alleyway was silent now. Prida breathed and lowered her arm, her squinting eyes relaxed into surprise at the four beings that now stood before her.  
  
Leo, Don, Mikey and Raph opened their eyes and waited for their eyes to adjust to the dark alleyway again. They all blinked rapidly and looked at their still raised hands. They were green . . . with three fingers. Their backs felt surprisingly heavy, and they knew they had their shells back. They looked at each other, studying their brothers, finding it weird to be looking at their turtle selves after so long; they had gotten too used to being human. Their clothes had disappeared, and their bandannas were over their eyes again. They were back to normal.  
  
"We're . . . back to normal," Mikey said, a small smile on his face. He looked up at Leo, and his eyes seemed to twinkle.  
  
April had slowly walked up to Donny. She put a hand on his shell and he looked her, then she hugged him, and Leo, Raph and Mikey joined in. Casey smiled and nodded at the scene.  
  
Leo was surprised to find that he was so happy to be back to his turtle form. He didn't think he would be. The weight on his back of his shell was something he hadn't been used to for a while, but it felt somehow comforting.  
  
After April had hugged them Mikey grinned and hugged Donny. Splinter watched from the shadows with a smile. He was very happy for his sons, and very glad to see that they themselves were happy about being back to their original form. April, grinning, went back to stand with Casey.  
  
"Alright - Donny, you still look as handsome as you did a month ago," Mikey grinned, one hand on Donny's shell, his cheek on Donny's shoulder.  
  
Leo stepped over to Raph, who was looking down at his hands. Leo put a hand on his shoulder.  
  
"It's good to be back," Leo said softly. "You know this is right, we couldn't have stayed human forever . . ."  
  
Raph didn't look at him. "I know . . ." he said very quietly, almost a whisper. He felt uncomfortable under the eyes of one person though. He looked up into her eyes, and Prida, who had been staring amazed, looked back. She closed her mouth and slowly smiled. So before her stood her four best friends, now looking like they did on the newspaper clipping she had blue-tacked on her wall. She bit her lip, grinning. It was incredible.  
  
"Gimme three!" Mikey said to Leo, who grinned and slapped his hand. "Man now I don't have to worry about saying five!" Leo laughed.  
  
"But, what about our home?" Donny said, frowning at the ground.  
  
The old man stepped forward, and everyone noticed him again.  
  
"I have taken care of that," he said, a smile on his face caused by all the happiness. "No one knows your whereabouts; no one knows they had found it. It has been deleted from memories of those who knew the location."  
  
"Alright," Mikey said, smiling. He then noticed Prida, and walked over to her. He was exactly her height. "Hey Prida," he said, smiling. "This is . . . the real us . . ." He took her hand in his three fingered one. She held it up and looked at his hand, then looked past it to his face, and smiled.  
  
"You're just as cute," she said, and hugged him. He grinned as they pulled away, and she kissed his cheek and reflected his grin. She still had her arms around his shoulders as she looked at Leo, Donny and Raph. "Oh boy, how am I meant to tell you guys apart now?" She laughed, and then she held one arm out to Leo for a cuddle and said, "C'mere Leo."  
  
Leo laughed, knowing whatever form, she would always recognize them. He walked over and she hugged him. She kissed his cheek as well, and green or not she saw a tint of red in his cheeks.  
  
April laughed and lent her head on Casey's shoulder. He looked down at her and she kissed his lips. They both smiled.  
  
The old man smiled down at all the happy faces. He began to button up his coat as Prida was hugging Donny, commenting on his likeness to his human form. She pecked him on his cheek like Leo and Mikey's, and then they all looked at the old man as he stepped forward and cleared his throat.  
  
"My task has been done, mishaps been righted; it is time for me to move on to my own world problems," he said. "I bid you all . . . a good life . . ." and with that he disappeared and where he stood a small orb of silver glowing light hovered, before rising up and vanishing.  
  
Everyone was silent for a few seconds after he had gone, still staring up into the dawn sky, and then they all looked down again.  
  
"Master Splinter!" Mikey suddenly said in his happy tone. He ran over to where Splinter had half emerged from the shadows and hugged his Master. "Back to normal Sensei, back to normal."  
  
Splinter smiled at his son. "I would very much like to go back home, would you not, my sons?"  
  
"Definitely," Mikey grinned. "Home sweet home. Hey I hope my Rayman drawing is back under my bed when I get back!"  
  
April laughed. "I'll just have to get it back from the evidence cabinet if it isn't." She looked at Splinter. "I'd love to go back to the sewers with you, I can help straighten the place out."  
  
Splinter chuckled and made his way out of the shadows. "Thank you, April. That would be very kind." He stopped as he passed Prida, and turned to her. He bowed politely. "It has been a pleasure, Miss Valantine. I feel I will see you down in our home soon."  
  
Prida stared at him, and then to everyone's relief she smiled and imitated his bow.  
  
"I look forward to seeing you again, er, Sir," she said.  
  
Splinter chuckled again. "You may call me Splinter, my child."  
  
Prida grinned.  
  
"And now, let us return home," Splinter said to April, and they both walked off around the corner to find a grate they could access the sewer tunnels through, leaving the others to say goodbyes for now.  
  
"Casey!" Mikey suddenly said as he had when he shouted Splinter's name. "Hey, so what's up with you and April then, is this the real thing?"  
  
Casey gave a one sided smile, and as he was talking to Mikey Leo stepped closer to Donny, Raph and Prida, watching the sun rise. The sky was a beautiful color, and they wondered just what time it was in the morning. Prida knew she should get back to her baby-sitting if she was going to be able to sneak in without anyone noticing.  
  
"So I guess I'm not gonna be seeing you guys in school on Monday," Prida said, smiling, the sound of Mikey and Casey's voice continued in the background.  
  
Leo looked at her. "No, but everyone else is gonna wanna know where we are. Could you tell them that -?"  
  
"That you didn't know it but you had to go back to LA," Prida finished. She stared at the mix of colors in the clouds. "I . . . can come visit you . . . right guys?"  
  
Raph smiled. "Sure ya can, as long as you don't bring that idiot, Tooks, along by mistake."  
  
Prida smiled. "Don't worry, he's not gonna stop me from seeing you guys." She glanced at Donny and Raph, and then at Leo on her other side. "But . . . thanks . . ."  
  
"What's the thanks for?" Leo asked, smiling.  
  
"For everything," she replied quietly.  
  
Behind them, Mikey stopped talking and frowned slightly. He stepped out of the alleyway and looked down the deserted road.  
  
Casey frowned at him and looked as well.  
  
"So what are you gonna do about that Shred-der dude?" Prida asked.  
  
"I dunno," Donny said. "He never stays dead . . . he'll always be after us."  
  
"No . . ." Leo said. "We'll defeat him, sometime, we WILL win."  
  
Mikey listened. He heard a noise, it was growing louder. It sounded like a truck engine, but no one ever comes down this neighborhood, it's known for some of the toughest street gangs.  
  
"Well, think I should be getting back to Laurence's," Prida said. "I don't want them to know where and what I've been doing today." She smiled, turned and hugged Raph. "Haven't given you a hug yet," she said, and pulled her head back to look into his face. She smiled and kissed his lips. "That's for being my savior so many times, " she said, smiling. He closed his mouth and grinned.  
  
"Oh great," Mikey said, a tone that said it wasn't great at all. "Don't think about relaxing too soon, we got company to deal with first!"  
  
Leo, Don, Raph and Prida rushed to Mikey and Casey's side and glanced down the street. The Foot clan was running towards them, running alongside a truck full of more Foot members. They were running pretty fast and they didn't look too happy about being sent to recapture Shredder's enemies so early in the morning.  
  
"I think it would be best to run," Casey suggested, watching as the Foot drew closer.  
  
"Wise idea," Leo said, and they all took off back into the alleyway, running as fast as they could to the street at the other end of the alley. Seconds after they had taken off, the Foot entered the alley and took chase. 


	43. They Just Don't Take A Hint!

Radical Transformation  
  
"Guys, run faster!" Mikey shouted, glancing back. The truck containing about twenty soldiers was gaining fast, the rest of the clan was not far behind either. Mikey grabbed Prida's hand and pulled her along, trying to keep up with the others. She may have been a good runner, but compared to her friends she wasn't fast enough.  
  
But as they reached the end of the alleyway, about ten Foot soldiers appeared at the end, blocking the way. The four turtles, Casey and Prida stopped, breathing hard from running. The truck behind them stopped a few yards behind, and the running soldiers caught up with it. They all formed a wall so their prisoners could not get back or forward.  
  
"So, you have returned to your freakish form," the front Foot soldier said. "You will return with us to Shredder, or your two friends will be killed as well as you. You can not escape, there are too many of us."  
  
"We will not return to Shredder," Leo in a low, threatening voice through gritted teeth. "If he wants us, he can come and get us . . ."  
  
"Wrong answer, freak," the soldier growled. "Now your friends will die!"  
  
With that the ten in front charged, and so did the many behind. But the turtles, Casey and Prida ran forward determined to get out of the sea of black uniforms.  
  
"We can't fight them - we have to get Prida out!" Leo managed to shout through to his brothers while trying to protect Prida. He knew when there were too many opponents, but had it not been for the sake of Prida, he would have stayed and fought. He knew Casey could hold his own off, so he wasn't too worried about him.  
  
Leo and Donny surrounded Prida, keeping any of the soldiers from touching her. They ran through the oncoming wave of attackers, and amazingly managed to break away and started running down the street.  
  
"Casey - Raph - Mikey!" Leo called, not glancing back.  
  
A second later Mikey managed to roll under the legs of three Foot soldiers, jump up and followed Leo, Don and Prida. Some Foot members had already started to follow Leo and Donny, and Mikey managed to down half of those, but then they were replaced by the ones following Mikey. Half of the Foot clan was following Leo, Don, Prida and Mikey, and Casey and Raph were still dealing with the other half. But then those two managed to get through the soldiers and ran past the following Foot, knocking down as many as they could. They managed to reach Leo, Don, Mikey and Prida, with still half the Foot clan following them.  
  
"Where are we heading?" Casey yelled.  
  
"Away from the Foot clan!" Leo yelled.  
  
"Yeah I can see that!"  
  
The Foot clan behind them soon slowed down, outrun. They disappeared around a corner as the group of friends sped away. After another minute of running they began to slow down. Prida was gasping for breath; she'd never run so far at that sped for that time.  
  
"We'll get Prida home, and then deal with the Foot if we see them again," Leo said, breathing heavily. He looked at the rising sun, and then at Prida. "I hope you can get home before anyone wakes and finds you gone."  
  
"Yeah, I'm kinda hoping that myself," she said, a small grim smile at the thought of being caught.  
  
They all started walking in the direction of April's neighborhood; from there they would walk Prida to her friend's house. At the minute they were still in the rough area of this side of town, and putting distance between them and the Foot warehouse every second.  
  
"So, can't wait to get back into the old dojo then, eh Leo?" Mikey asked, a lopsided grin on his face.  
  
Leo smiled, watching the street corners ahead.  
  
"I can't wait to get back to my computer," Donny smiled, flexing his fingers over an invisible keyboard. "I'll probably had to reset all my alarm systems, the police probably pulled them down . . . or unless the man sorted them out for me."  
  
"Alarm systems?" Prida said.  
  
"Yeah, Donny rigged up some alarms in the tunnels around our home," Mikey explained. "So we would know if anyone unexpected was walking towards our home. Gotta be careful if you're a mutant in the sewers." He grinned.  
  
Silence fell on the group again as the passed into a shadowed street where the sun couldn't reach past the wide, tall buildings. It was slightly cooler down this street because the air was not yet warmed.  
  
Leo suddenly stumbled but quickly regained his balance, smiling as they glanced at him.  
  
"Still a little dizzy from the bang on the head," he said.  
  
"Bang on the head? Concussion dude," Mikey said. "I guess the man did everything but sort out the medical problems."  
  
Raph touched his forehead where the bandage should have been, and found it still painful. He looked at his scratched arms, remembering the injuries he had received had not gone. Then as he focused his eyes on the street ahead realized he did feel like collapsing as Leo had nearly just done. Leo, though, looked worse then he did.  
  
"I don't think we should be finding the Foot after we've taken Prida home," Donny said, looking at his brother in blue. "I think you should go home and lay down."  
  
"Yeah," Leo muttered, and then looked up to the end of the street. There was a humming noise, which was growing louder, and then a second later the cargo truck holding about twenty Foot soldiers sped around the corner and came right at them.  
  
"Not again!" Mikey groaned as they all turned around and started to run in the opposite direction in the middle of the street.  
  
But the truck was closing in fast, and the shouts from the soldiers grew louder. The truck was only meters behind!  
  
"Split!" Leo yelled, ignoring the painful pounding in his head.  
  
Casey, Raph and Mikey ran into an alleyway, while Leo, Donny and Prida moved closer to the sidewalk, running next to a line of parked cars. The truck decided to follow Leo's group, without hesitation. They were way too close, so Leo decided that Prida couldn't stay in the chase.  
  
"Prida - stay between the cars!" He yelled, and pushed her in a gap between a red car and a black car. She made a noise as she landed, but she scrambled further into the gap and a second later the Foot truck roared past. She crawled off her butt onto her knees and stuck her head around the red car she was behind, watching as the truck caught up with Leo and Donny.  
  
Raph, Mikey and Casey, realizing the truck wasn't following them, ran back out of the alley and looked along the street. They saw the truck, and they saw Leo still running. But where were Donny and Prida? The three took off after the truck and saw that Donny had been dragged into the open back of truck, struggling to free himself from the many hands that restrained him.  
  
Raph and Mikey sped as fast as they could after the truck, Casey only just noticed Prida getting to her feet, a worried expression on her face.  
  
"Stay there!" He said, and started to run after his pals again. Prida made a face between panic and the desperate urge to do something other than sit around between two cars.  
  
Leo felt hands grab at his shell and arms, and a second later he had been pulled into the front of the truck, an arm was wrapped tightly around his neck as he struggled. His head was out the window, and he used his feet to kick the three soldiers who were fighting against him. He accidentally caught the driver in the face and the truck swerved dangerous.  
  
Raph and Mikey managed to caught up to the truck as it slowed and skidded, then started to speed up. But the two turtles had already jumped into the back and were trying to free their brother. The truck swerved again as the driver was put off, and everyone in the back hit the left side of the struck, and then began to fight again.  
  
"Whoa!" Mikey yelled as he was knocked onto his shell. His top torso slid out of the truck, and he was looking upside down at Casey who was a few meters away, trying to caught them up. Mikey glanced down at the streaming pavement below him.  
  
"AGH!" He yelled.  
  
Raph managed to grab his brother and pull him back up.  
  
"Thanks -" Mikey said in a high voice. Then he yelled, "Whoa!" and pushed Raph aside as a Foot soldier came at them with a sharp object that would have made a mess of the two turtles. The Foot soldier lost his control and fell out the back of the speeding truck. Casey only just avoided him, but in doing so he lost his balance and went down, rolling and then jumped back up, taking his anger out on the disorientated Foot soldier he had tripped on.  
  
Leo, who was still in the front of the truck, was trying to keep himself from being skewered on the end of a dagger one of the soldiers had pulled out from under the seat of the vehicle. His head was being forced out of the window by a hand wrapped around his neck, and his own hands were pushing the dagger away. He brought his knee up and kneed the soldier in the face. The dagger hand went limp and Leo rammed it into the edge of the widow. The dagger fell out of his hand and onto the road. Leo kicked again at the other two Foot members with such force the power of it sent the two into the driver, who lost control of the wheel. The truck rammed into a blue car, swerved to the right, skidded back to the left and drove full speed into the corner of a building. The front window glass shattered on Leo, and in the back everyone was propelled forward.  
  
Then, the truck exploded into a bright ball of fire . . . 


	44. A Cruel Twist

Radical Transformation  
  
Prida's mouth opened wide as she inhaled sharply, heart stopping at the sight of the explosion. Without thinking what she was doing she scrambled to her feet, scraping her knees as she did, and began to run towards the fire, her face was now contorting into a horrified expression. She didn't even see Casey running just ahead of her. He glanced back and saw her. He grabbed her shoulders, face expressionless.  
  
"Stay here!" He ordered, and turned and ran towards the burning wreck. But another explosion from the truck erupted and Casey was thrown back, having been only meters from it.  
  
Casey's order had left Prida mind and she now started to half run, half stumble numbly towards the fire. Nothing moved in the orange and red flames. Prida came level with the mangled blue car the truck had driven into only seconds ago.  
  
Casey got back to his feet and grabbed Prida as she was going past.  
  
"No - don't -" he said in a strange voice, and turned around as sirens pierced the air. A few people had come out of their homes and were gasping at the sight. A few punks had also emerged from the alleyway down the street.  
  
Out of the corner of her eye, Prida noticed a trail of fire following a small stream of petrol that was leaking from the truck. Prida didn't even register it properly in her mind. She continued to stare into the dancing red and orange flames.  
  
//  
  
From inside the burning truck one figure stirred and groaned in agony. He was surrounded by heat, and the lacerations from the shattered window oozed blood down his arms and shoulders. His head was pounding so painfully he could have lain back down and waited for another explosion to finish him off and stop the pain, but Leo lifted his head and opened his eyes, snapping them shut again against the burning orange fire that stung them. He forced himself into a half sitting position, and looked at the mess of the three Foot soldiers opposite him, draped over the steering wheel.  
  
"Donny . . " he choked in a whisper, and slowly and painfully lifted himself up and turned himself around so he was looking through the gap to the back of the truck. The cargo area was in flames. The bodies of the Foot (alive Leo didn't know), were strewn on the floor. One of them was on fire, next to a flaming hole in the side of the truck near Leo. He looked past the mess to the end of the truck. He could only just see the street beyond because the whole of the opening was being eaten away by fire, as though the fire was a door, flickering away and intending to allow no one out.  
  
Leo closed his eyes in the effort he made to climb through the gap to the rest of the truck. His feet hit the hot floor and his knees followed. He put his hands out to stop himself from collapsing fully, and pulled his head up. He saw his brother, along with his other two. How they got on Leo didn't know, but all he wanted to know was if they were alive. The flames from the burning Foot soldiers were too close to Donny, and Leo managed to stiffly kick the man away from his brother.  
  
"Donny . . ." Leo said, his voice sore and quiet. He put his bleeding hands on his brother's shell and turned him over. Donny coughed weakly, and groped for Leo's hand. He grabbed it.  
  
"We gotta . . . get outta here before . . . it explodes again," Donny whispered, coughing. He lifted himself a few inches up, and looked at his other two brothers.  
  
Mikey opened his eyes. He was facing the opening of the truck, and looked beyond the flames to the street. He saw flashing blue and red lights, and he saw two close figures. Casey was making his way over to the truck.  
  
"No . . . Casey . . ." Mikey tried to call, but it came out a whisper. He lifted his front up, and stared past Casey to Prida. Mikey looked to the side of him and tapped Raph, who groaned.  
  
"C'mon guys," Leo said, his voice getting a little stronger. "We gotta get out . . ."  
  
"Casey and Prida are out there," Mikey said, feeling so tired. His eyelids drooped, and almost closed.  
  
Raph put a weak hand on his brother's shoulder, and shook him, keeping him awake.  
  
"Don't fall asleep . . . Mike," Raph said. The fire from the opening was scorching hot, and Raph and Mikey were sweating. The heat made them sleepy.  
  
All four brothers looked up suddenly as an explosion in the street lit up.  
  
//  
  
The blue car exploded, and the person who had been leaning on it was blasted into the air, thrown until she landed fifteen feet away, on her stomach. Prida lay still, she didn't move. There were clear scorch marks on her face and her clothes were torn and frayed.  
  
Casey was blasted off his feet and he had covered his head as he hit the floor, keeping low as the fire grew into the air.  
  
A part of the car, covered with the fire that was still eating at it, came down from being blown twenty feet in the air, and smothered the unconscious girl.  
  
//  
  
The four conscious beings inside the flaming truck stared with horror written in their faces. Their breaths became sharper and faster.  
  
"NOO!" Mikey cried.  
  
Leo and Donny caught their brother as he started to scramble towards the fire that surrounded the door, trying to get out of the flaming truck. He struggled against them.  
  
"No Mikey!" Leo cried, his voice full of grief. His brother stopped struggling and stared at the flaming ball of fire on the road. Tears started to fall down his hot cheeks, stinging his wounds.  
  
Leo and Donny stared, eye ridges furrowed upwards. Leo shook his head in heartrending disbelief, and had to turn away. He pulled Mikey backwards to the hole in the side of the truck, and with a numb mind started to kick the hole in, making it big enough for his brothers to get through. He wanted to go out there and run to Prida's side. He wanted to go out there and lift that burning rubble off her. He wanted to make sure she was alright - but he couldn't. He couldn't go out into the open with humans any more. The police were out there, and so was an ambulance and people from their homes. His feelings and thoughts were not working; they were dead with shock. But a voice in Leo's throbbing head told him Prida was dead.  
  
Leo pushed Mikey through the hole, and looked back at Donny, who was shaking his head, eyes on Leo's.  
  
"Donny -" Leo pleaded. The truck might explode again any second. There was absolutely nothing they could do now.  
  
Donny took one last glance over his shoulder at the scene outside the truck, and turned back with his eyes closed. He opened them and climbed out of the hole.  
  
Leo turned to Raph, who had not moved in the last few seconds, apart from when the explosion happened and his shoulders had dropped in disbelief and his eyes had widened. He was still staring.  
  
"Raph -"Leo began, but another small explosion rocked the truck and the top of the flaming opening came crashing down. Leo pulled his brother out the way of the fire. He turned Raph around.  
  
"C'mon - we gotta get out!" Leo said urgently. He pulled Raph to the hole and pushed him through. Leo gripped the scorching hot sides of the hole, about to climb through, but he looked back at the ambulance people and police running up to the burning wreck. One single tear rolled down his cheek, and he climbed through the hole and dropped to the ground. His feet collapsed under him and he fell to his knees. He got back up again, physically and mentally drained, and looked up at his brothers. Donny had Mikey in a hug, and Raph was staring at the floor, frowning as though he was seeing a confusing picture in the ground. Leo grabbed his and Mikey's arms, and they limped into the shadows, desperately trying to find a manhole before they all collapsed.  
  
Leo dropped to the floor next to a manhole, and tried to pry the lid off. Donny collapsed next to him and helped, while the other two remained silent, watching. The lid came off, and they pushed it aside. Leo held an arm out, motioning Mikey to go down. Leo grabbed his brother as he lowered himself down, and then motioned Raph to go quickly. Donny followed and then Leo himself went last, trying to shut the hole after him. He had no strength left, but somehow he managed to get the lid over the hole, and after he did, he collapsed on the ladder, one arm over the rung, breathing heavily with his eyes shut. His world felt like it was spinning, and he felt sick. His head swayed every so slightly with his heavy breathing. He felt like he could do nothing else but breathe. He didn't know where his brothers were, or what they were doing. He couldn't even hear them; his ears were invaded by his loud heartbeat. He didn't know how long he was on that ladder, but he felt hands lifting him down, and they carried him for Leo didn't know how long. Through his eyelids he saw dim light, and that was all he saw before he blacked out.  
  
()()()()  
  
"Donny? Donny can you hear me?"  
  
Donny opened his sore eyes, and looked into the kind, worried face of April, who was looking down at him. As soon as he saw her, another feminine face appeared in his mind, and before he knew it tears had started to trickle slowly down his face.  
  
"Donny . . ."  
  
His friend cuddled him, and he wrapped his arms around April, burying his face into her shoulder. She rocked him gently.  
  
"Where are . . . the others?" Donny asked, wiping his eyes and pulling away. He saw that he was in his own room, on his bunk bed he shared with Leo. His wounds and burns had been treated and dressed.  
  
"Leo's in your lab," April said softly, smoothening out a small gauze bandage taped to Donny's cheek. "Hooked up to an IV drip; he's still asleep. Raph and Mikey are in their beds. You're the first to wake up."  
  
Donny breathed deeply. "How long have I been out?" He remembered dropping down into the sewers and watching Leo struggle with the manhole lid. Then he blacked out after that. He guessed his brothers did too.  
  
"A day," April said quietly, watching him with her head tilted. She looked tired herself, as though she had gotten no sleep. Donny guessed she hadn't, but had stayed up most of the time looking after him and his brothers. He noticed her cheeks had slightly more color in them than usual, and her eyes looked as though they had been red recently. He knew she had been crying, and he knew what about.  
  
"Master Splinter . . ." Donny said, squinting at the figure in the doorway. His Master walked forward, his old cane clicking as it touched the floor; he had something in his other hand.  
  
"Donatello," Splinter said, walking towards his son, stopping at his bedside. "How are you feeling my son?" The thing in his hand was a small tray with food on it.  
  
Donny looked down at his bed sheets. "Sore . . ." he said quietly.  
  
Splinter made a quiet 'hmm' noise. He knew what his son was feeling. The old rat handed his son the tray of food.  
  
Donny looked up at it, then looked at his Master. "I'm not hungry, Sensei."  
  
"You must eat to regain your strength, if you are to recover properly," his Master said wisely.  
  
Donny looked back at the tray and took it. He looked at the steaming soup and warm bread, but his appetite did not return. He usually loved the soup his Master made. Don swallowed, looking at the soup, and then looked up at April.  
  
"Is Casey okay?" He asked.  
  
April nodded. "He escaped the police and found you and your brothers unconscious. He brought you all back here. He's gone back to my place to rest . . . He had thought you were dead . . ."  
  
Donny nodded slowly, and stared back down at his soup.  
  
Raph and Mikey woke hours after Donny did, and they had no more of an appetite than Don. They still looked tired, and by the looks of their expressions they had many thoughts running through their heads. Leo had woken soon after they did. His arms and shoulders were covered with small gauze bandages.  
  
"We're home . . ." Mikey said to himself when he was allowed to get up out of bed. He walked numbly into the main room, and looked at the TV. He glanced to his right and looked at the counter tops and the fridge they had dubbed the kitchen. Mikey found himself thinking that he was going to show Prida around, and make her something special in the kitchen when she came down for her first visit. Tears flowed down his face as he walked over to the counter, sliding his fingertips along it. He was so glad to see his home again, but yet he wasn't happy at all. His feelings were too much for him, and he went back into his room where Raph was laying awake on his bed, and went back to sleep, away from cares and emotions.  
  
Leo's wounds were being redressed by April. He watched her work on his arms with drooped eyelids. He couldn't think of anything except that Prida's death was his fault. It was they: He and his brothers. Because of what and who they were, innocent people suffered and died. But Leo blamed himself more. If he hadn't kicked that driver they wouldn't have drove into the building, and the car wouldn't have exploded and killed his friend. But, those were the consequences of being a Ninja. Leo knew they should not befriend people, for their own sake, and for the sake of their fates that might happen and cause he and his brothers' pain.  
  
Later, when night came, they were all feeling stronger than when they had woken; but they were still full with sorrow. They all sat spaced out in the room, the TV was not switched on and none of them spoke, except to answer to April when she asked them if they wanted drinks, or food. But none of them ate or drank at all.  
  
Finally, after the sad discussion of their friend Prida, April put down her mug and said, "I will find out what I can . . . about what will happen to her now . . ." She put her hand on Leo's shell who she was sat next to, and rubbed it comfortingly. He managed a small smile for her.  
  
"The Foot are still out there," he said after a few seconds silence. "We haven't yet put a stop to Shredder's evil. I will make sure I see him fall . . . I promise . . ."  
  
()()()()  
  
It had been five days since the explosion of the truck and the car. The hospital had many bodies brought in that were killed in the accident. They were all wearing black, and the police recognized them as the gang of ninjas that prowl around and disturb people in the 'bad' neighborhoods.  
  
In one room of the hospital, nothing had changed for the five days since the patient was brought in, except the flowers on the bedside cabinet, brought in by the patient's family member. This patient wasn't expected to have survived the night they brought her in. Barely an inch from death she had been rushed into casualty where she had to endure hours of pain as doctors and nurses worked endlessly to save her life. She had not been awake when they brought her in, nor had she been unconscious; she was somewhere in-between, where a bright light summoned her to its depths. She had resisted this light, and from there she fell into total unconsciousness . . . into a coma . . . from which she was never expected to awaken from . . .  
  
Prida was alive. But she was also considered dead. The doctors had told her devastated sister that the chances of Prida to awaken from the coma were extremely small, and there was nothing more they could do. Her 3rd degree burns that scarred her back were never expected to heal properly, and the long scar on her shoulder blade would always remain. It had shocked Mai so much to see her sister like this that she cried for days. She had barely recognized her sister when the nurses showed her. Prida had been covered with wires, drips and tubes, and an oxygen mask over her nose and mouth to supply her with the oxygen she needed to live. The life-support machine had been hooked up to the girl for the first two days, but had been taken off, and now only the heart monitor made any noise, with it's steady, continuous beeps.  
  
On the fifth day after the explosions, on a rainy day, Mai walked into her sister's hospital room with a fresh bunch of purple flowers in her hand, tears in her eyes, still, after five days of visiting her sister three times a day. She replaced the flowers and laid the old ones on the table; ready to be taken out when she left. Mai sat down on the bed by her sister and stroked her hair. She looked, if Mai could say it, better then when she was brought in: the tubes were gone and only one IV drip remained taped in her hand. Her sister looked so peaceful, laying there, breathing soundlessly, her chest rising and fall gently, looking as though she was only sleeping, and not the victim of a permanent coma. The tears fell down Mai's cheeks, as she tilted her head and watched her sister, wondering, if it was possible to dream in a coma, what her sister would be thinking of.  
  
Korey appeared at the door, and saw Mai with her back to him. He sighed quietly and sadly, and walked up to his fiancée. He put his hands on her shoulders and squeezed them gently.  
  
"You haven't eaten all day," he said softly.  
  
"I'm just not hungry," Mai said quietly.  
  
Korey walked over to the chair against the wall next to the door and brought it over to Prida's bedside. With one finger he traced the strand of hair on Prida's temple, and sighed again as he watched her. He then picked up Mai's hand and cupped it in his.  
  
"You can't waste away, she wouldn't want that," he said gently. He wanted to say to Mai that he believed the doctors were wrong, and that Prida WOULD wake up; but he couldn't. He didn't want to tell Mai something if it might not happen.  
  
"Yeah . . ." Mai whispered, looking at the white sheets.  
  
"I'll go get something," Korey said, knowing she wanted to stay with her sister. He got up and left the room. The room was silent again, apart from the steady beeping of the heart monitor.  
  
Mai sighed and watched Prida's face, feeling sad to think she might never see her sister's pretty smile. She wondered just then what ever happened to Prida's four friends. The last time Mai saw them was outside the school building after the disco. She would have thought they would have visited their friend . . . unless they couldn't. What happened to Prida was confusing; what had she been doing outside at that hour in the morning, and did she have anything to do with the explosion of the truck that was only meters from her? So many questions, but Mai didn't want to think about anything except to hope and pray that her sister might miraculously wake up.  
  
Mai lowered her eyes to the sheets again. She closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, unsteadily from the strain to keep from crying again. She got a hold of herself and steadied her breathing.  
  
A small, barely audible sound reached her ears, and the soft, quiet rustle of material made Mai open her eyes. She lifted her head and looked at her sister. But Prida did not move, and Mai glanced at the corridor outside. She closed her eyes and let her head fall back, so she was looking at the ceiling. She stayed like that for a few seconds, wondering when Korey would get back, and then another, slightly louder, sound made its way to her ears, and it was recognizable as a small moan. Mai opened her eyes and slowly looked at her sister in the bed, who did not move. Mai frowned and looked back at the door to the corridor, but a movement from the bed made her look back - to see Prida shifting on the big pillow she was laid on. Mai's mouth opened and she drew a breath, moving closer to her sister.  
  
"Prida . . . ? Prida - sweetie can you hear me?" Mai whispered frantically, eye dashing over Prida's face for some sign that she was about to open wake.  
  
Somewhere in the comforting darkness of unconsciousness the muffled and distant voice of someone speaking broke into the dormant mind of the coma victim, and even quieter was a beeping noise that was emitting a constant beep in an irregular pattern, growing quicker and then once slow, and then speeding up again. A feeling like fire spread through her body at light speed, running through her veins. Then a blinding, scorching pain ripped her from the comfortable darkness she wanted to stay in forever - and through her eyelids she saw light; light that stung her eyes. She gasped in agony, and her throat seared in pain. She arched her burning back off the surface she was on and contorted her face into lines of suffering. The beeping in the background was going haywire, and she could hear the panicked shrieks of the voice calling her name, and then calling away. The pain was unbearable, and she desperately tried to sink back into the darkness - but the pricks of more pain, and the feeling of many presences stopped her. She fought them; she didn't want to stay like this. The feeling of hands holding her down - pushing her back down onto her agonizing back - scared her. But there was a familiar voice she recognized, and through the feelings of torture she felt some safety. Prida snapped her eyes open in pain as the hands finally stopped her thrashing and pushed her down onto her back, and she saw in the second she opened them, four blurred figures in white, and another stood behind in blurred blues and purples. The colors reminded her of something, but she shut her eyes again and felt her body start to calm down on its own. The pain remained though, and it felt worse when she was not moving. She felt an uncomfortable tugging on the top of her hand, and a small, throbbing pain there. She didn't know what these people had done to her, but she wished she could go back to the darkness. She heard another voice, deeper and more serious than the first. She didn't recognize this voice, but it spoke for a few minutes before another male voice interrupted, a confused and panicked tone to it. This one she recognized. Another while later the unfamiliar voice disappeared, and the other two remained, speaking quietly; one was crying noticeably.  
  
After that Prida didn't know how long she was in semi-consciousness for, but she did know every second was agonizing. The pain throbbed away unmercifully, and Prida felt things small and warm slide down her cheeks from her closed eyelids every time she thought about the pain. The voices visited her often, and she wondered just how long she was there . . . in fact, where WAS she? Semi-consciousness didn't allow purpose thinking, but she did know she would find out soon. Very soon.  
  
It was, after those five days of peaceful unconsciousness, another four days until she woke from this new dormant state. It was early in the morning, and Mai had already been at her sister's bedside an hour, having had no breakfast, and not even phoning Korey before she left the house. Mai had been so shocked and happy when Prida had started to move and make signs she was awakening, but then it had turned bad and she had started to thrash around and cry in pain, as though she was having a fit. Mai had been totally panic stricken, and when the doctors had stopped her sister from thrashing, they told her that Prida was now in a state between consciousness and total unconsciousness, something they had not predicted and would never have thought would have happened. But it did, and the doctors had solemnly told Mai that her sister would sink back into total unconsciousness in a maximum of five days; they told her Prida would not awaken. Mai ran through their explanation in her head; they had said something like part of Prida's lower brain lobe had swollen in the accident, and caused more problems in her body, something about not being able to send messages to some specific internal parts of the body. Mai hadn't understood a whole lot of it, and she hadn't been giving her full attention to the explanation; she had been too distraught.  
  
It hadn't been just Mai and Korey that visited Prida. Roxanne had shared a load of tears with Mai at Prida's bedside. Roxanne had visited the second day Prida had been in the hospital, as had a few other friends of hers. Jo Tooks had visited, though he hadn't been his usual, smug self; he had actually passed for a kind-hearted kid, in love with the girl who's fate had been sealed as a coma victim. He was, as everyone knew, in love with Prida, and seeing her asleep on the bed had an impact on him, and he had not been so smug and cold-hearted as usual. He had brought a single red rose for Prida, and a card, in which he had forgotten his hard -ass reputation, and poured his feelings into. No one said anything about it, and even passed him a small smile; though inside they were shocked. But, even though she had all of her friends visit at least twice, four certain people did not, and everyone wondered why they hadn't. They had disappeared completely, as they had not turned up at school since that Friday, and no one had seen them. The atmosphere in Prida's hospital room was double the gloom because of it.  
  
On Sunday, a week after the explosion, it started the day with rain and dark clouds. Mai was already in the room, and was sat by her sister's bed. A noise from behind Mai made her look around to see Roxanne walk in, a large card in her hand. She gave a very small smile at Mai, and handed her the card she had brought in. Mai took it and looked at the many notes and names written down. She gave a sad smile at the card, reading the messages everyone had written to Prida.  
  
"I managed to get the whole grade to sign it," Roxanne said softly. "And a few of the teachers Prida had."  
  
Mai looked up. "Thank you, I'll - I'll put it with the rest." She made room on the bedside table and stood the card on it.  
  
Roxanne moved over to the chair and brought it next to the bed, where she sat down.  
  
"How's school?" Mai asked quietly. She had not spoken right since the accident.  
  
"It's . . . not the same," Roxanne said, staring at the white sheets. Mai nodded and looked back at her sister.  
  
"Heard anything about . . . Prida's four friends?" she asked.  
  
Roxanne shook her head. "No . . ."  
  
Two nurses walked past the door pushing an empty bed along. The noise of it echoed down the corridor. When it disappeared the room was left in silence, apart from the heart monitor, and apart from Roxanne rustling the bed covers as she changed position . . . but wait, Mai looked up. Roxanne hadn't moved.  
  
"Mai . . . ?" A weak, sore, child-like voice whispered.  
  
The beeping of the heart monitor quicken every so slightly.  
  
Mai and Roxanne looked down at the girl in the bed. The girl who opened her mouth and inhaled shakily, eyes blinking as the light met them. Prida closed her eyes again and rolled her head on the pillow. She moaned quietly in pain.  
  
"Prida -" Mai froze for a second, staring at her sister, mouth open in shock. As soon as Prida rolled her head and groaned, the memories of Prida's fit snapped into Mai's head and she turned her head to the door.  
  
"Nurse!" She yelled, and turned back to her sister. "Prida - Prida, honey, stay awake, okay, sweetie please stay awake -" Tears ran down Mai's cheeks as she stroked her sister's cheek.  
  
Prida rolled her head again, not even knowing she was doing it. It was an action caused by the pain.  
  
The nurse and the doctor ran into the room, and Mai and Roxanne got off the bed. Roxanne's brow had furrowed inwards and upwards. She hoped desperately that this time Prida would remain awake.  
  
The doctor started calling Prida's name, asking if she could hear him, and he opened one of her eyes and shone a light in it. Prida turned away from the light.  
  
"Go away -" She moaned, not liking all this poking and prodding the doctor was doing. The nurse was fiddling with the drip.  
  
"Prida, Prida listen to me -" the doc said.  
  
"Mai!" Prida called, eyes still closed.  
  
"I'm here sweetie," Mai choked on her tears, grasping Prida's hand. "It's alright . . . I'm here . . ."  
  
Roxanne watched from at the end of the bed, tears down her face. But on her face was a smile; she knew Prida was going to be alright now. She watched as the doctors ran a few tests later on, and it all came back positive. Prida was going to be okay.  
  
It was shocking, as the doctors told Mai later when they finished examining their patient and finished their tests. They were all happy and shocked, and Mai didn't stop crying of happiness until an hour later, in which time Prida had been brought back from wherever they had taken her and Mai and Roxanne were allowed to see her again. Prida had been confused, and in so much pain she herself was nearly crying. But the doctors did not want to give her any painkillers, afraid the sedated affect would cause her to fall back into the coma. Prida had tolerated the pain for four days, so it wasn't as bad as it could have been. The doctor had come back into Prida's room at the same time as she did, and told Mai, with a smile, that Prida would be okay.  
  
Mai now turned from the doctor to look at her sister, and Roxanne who was on the bed.  
  
"How long have I been like this?" Prida asked Roxanne, still weak. Roxanne noticed that Prida spoke as though she were very sad, sad about something else. Prida managed to half sit up.  
  
"A week," Roxanne said quietly, smiling.  
  
Mai turned back to the doctor and thanked him. He went out smiling, and Mai walked over to Prida and knelt down, taking her sister's hand.  
  
"I'm sorry Mai," Prida started. "I -"  
  
Mai was shaking her head. "Why are you sorry? I'm so happy you're awake, I don't care about anything else." A tear fell down each cheek.  
  
Prida watched her sister, thinking. "I've . . . been in a coma for a week . . . ?"  
  
"You was in a coma for five days," Mai said softly. "And then you, I'm not sure, but you had a fit, and fell into semi-consciousness . . . and woke up."  
  
Prida looked down at the sheets. "I remember that . . . I heard a voice, and then I could feel nothing but pain . . . it was awful . . . the pain didn't go away and I couldn't do anything."  
  
Fresh tears fell down Mai's face again. "You could feel the pain?" She whispered. "Oh Prida, honey . . ." She knew now why Prida had been crying in her sleep.  
  
Prida managed a small smile for her sister. "It doesn't matter now." She hugged her sister. Roxanne smiled. Just then Prida began to cry.  
  
"Sweetie," Mai whispered. "What's wrong?"  
  
Prida pulled away from Mai. "The night I went into the coma, I -" Mai was shaking her head, not wanting her to continue, but Prida did. "- I was with my friends, the identical brothers - and before the car next to me blew up - the truck they were in rammed into the b-building and -"  
  
She was sobbing now, and Mai hugged her again, tears down her own face at seeing her sister like it.  
  
"- and it - it," Prida pulled away and inhaled, trying to control her tears. ". . . It blew up . . .  
  
Roxanne's opened slowly in shock.  
  
Prida looked at Roxanne and then at Mai again, sniffing. ". . . They're dead . . ." she whispered.  
  
()()()()  
  
Prida's amazing recovery spread through the school like wildfire, and around outside friends such as Laurence. But it never reached any further. She quickly grew back her strength faster than the doctors thought, and a week before the predicted time she was given to have fully recovered, she was allowed to go home, at full strength. The burns on her back that shouldn't have healed disappeared, leaving only a faded mark. The scar on her shoulder blade disappeared before the burn; doctors were amazed.  
  
**** **** **** ****  
  
The turtles were still mourning, though they continued their patrolling at nights, but for smaller periods than usual. Some of their injuries were a little more serious than they thought. Leo's concussion acted up on several times. April spent more time down there than she ever had, as well as Casey. And every night, Mikey would go to the sewer grate that gave a peaceful view of the moon to sit and watch it, thinking about his friend, and whispering, as they all did, 'Goodnight, Prida.'  
  
**** **** **** ****  
  
Prida got many phone calls from her friends, and cards through the post, but even though these put a smile on her face, she was heartbroken inside. Every night she would look out of her window and think about her four friends. She told people on the phone that they had gone back to LA, but she knew they were dead. Prida dared not go to April's to talk about them. She knew the pain would be too great for her and April, but she also had the idea that April probably spends so much time down in the sewer now with Splinter that Prida wouldn't be able to get hold of her. But one day, when Prida has gotten over the memories of her coma, she promised herself she would go over and visit . . .  
  
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~THE END ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~  
  
~  
  
Yeah, I'm evil, I'm gonna end it right - here! I wanted a few questions left unanswered, but this was the way it was gonna finish when I started this thing. So yeah, Prida thinks they're dead and they think she's dead - the end! ( . . . Or is it . . . ?  
  
Thank you SO much for all your reviews! I really hope you liked the story, I can almost hear some people saying 'thank bloody God that damn story is finished!' lol. Thank y'all! Gosh, I never thought the end of this would happen, wow, but I would so love to thank each and everyone of u - you're positive thoughts and reviews kept the story going, and thanks for pointing stuff out, it WILL be changed. Thanks a lot you guys! 


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